Handwriting Practice: Proper Hand, Wrist and Finger Positions

Written by Michele Wheat

Developing good penmanship may seem like an outdated concern. However, even in today's digital age, it is essential to keep handwriting a priority. Good handwriting can help adults in many aspects of their life and is not just a skill for children. Research has shown that different parts of our brain are activated when we write by hand than when we type something on a computer or phone. By slowing down and using our hands to write on paper, our brains are more engaged and, therefore, more likely to remember what we write. Successful business people often have a notepad and pen on them at all times to write down ideas when they cannot reach their device. Handwritten notes can be much more personal, unique, and memorable than a typed message. Learning and practicing handwriting can start at an early age from activities that strengthen fine motor muscles and can even continue into adulthood as an art form.

Resources for Teaching Handwriting

Why Handwriting Matters and Ways to Teach It: Handwriting is a base skill upon which reading fluency and many other life skills are built, so learn these methods to hand down this crucial skill.
10 Must-Know Tips for Teaching Handwriting: These ten tips will help anyone teaching handwriting, whether to an entire class or a single child at home.
Beginning Handwriting Activity: This fun activity for a group of younger students will help them understand the importance of handwriting at a very young age.
How Writing Develops in Young Children: In order to teach handwriting effectively, there should be an understanding of how this skill develops in young children. This reading will help any teacher dive deeper into understanding.
The "Spacekid": This fun printable and art project can help students learn how to create space between words when writing.
Teaching Writing with Older Students: It is imperative that handwriting and other writing skills are continually developed throughout school. This article gives some great ideas for how to help develop the writing skills of older students.
6 Tips for Teaching Handwriting In A Digital Age: Here is a teacher's guide to helping young students learn to handwrite despite the distractions and tools offered by technology.
Using Sensory Integration Strategies to Improve Handwriting: For students in the elementary grades that struggle with handwriting, there are some beautiful ideas and resources to help them improve.
How to Teach Handwriting to Young Students: Teach print and letter formation to the youngest students with these ideas.
The Palmer Method of Writing: This writing method has precise instructions on holding a pen, positioning your arm, and sitting just right.
Handwriting Manual (PDF): Learn the best posture, arm position, and pencil grasps with detailed images so you can visualize the elements of perfect handwriting.
Activities to Promote Hand Strengthening and Coordination: Hand strength and coordination are two crucial elements to good handwriting, so they should be improved whenever possible.
Handwriting Warm-Up Exercises: Use this list of activities to help prepare for a lengthy writing session.
The Correct Way to Hold a Pen: Learn how to hold a pen correctly.
What You Need to Know About How to Hold a Pencil: Although students are often made to hold a pencil in only one particular way, several ways are effective and appropriate.
Pencil Grip Information: Learn about the importance of pencil grip from an occupational therapist.
What to Know About Messy Handwriting: Learn different reasons behind messy handwriting in grade school and middle school kids, as well as ways to help.
12 Reasons Why Handwriting Is Important: Reinforce the importance of handwriting.

Cursive Practice

Cursive Lowercase Alphabet Animations: Young students will enjoy watching these animations while learning their letters and how to form them.
Cursive Writing Learning Videos: Students learning to write in cursive will find this video helpful when learning how to form each letter.

Lowercase and Uppercase Practice

Hand Lettering Basics: A Simple Tutorial: For those comfortable with basic handwriting, it can be fun to venture into hand lettering or creating art with letters.
Letter and Number Formation: These videos for the younger students incorporate phonics while teaching how to write each letter.
Kindergarten Lesson Plan Lower-Case Letters: Use this lesson plan when teaching five-year-olds how to write lower-case letters.
Capital Letters Lesson Plan: This is a great lesson plan for teaching capital letters.

Printable Handwriting Worksheets

Uppercase and Lowercase Letters Worksheets for Kindergarten: Four, five, and six-year-olds can use these worksheets to begin practicing their handwriting.
Free Lowercase Letter Writing Worksheet: Practice lowercase letters with these free printable worksheets.
Print Handwriting Practice Worksheets: These worksheets will help students learn to print their letters.
Cursive Practice Printable Worksheets: Have students practice cursive with these worksheets.
Lowercase Alphabet Tracing Worksheets: Before students can write letters on their own, they can trace the letters to prepare for independent writing.
English Alphabet Worksheet for Kindergarten: Practice all the letters on these worksheets.
Cursive Worksheets: Here, you can find a full worksheet of handwriting practice for each letter.
Cursive Letters Worksheets: Practice all the letters in cursive.
Hand Lettering: Scripts, Swirls, and Flourishes: If you want to step up from the basics, you can use this to guide on creating artistic hand lettering.

Games for Handwriting Practice

Upper and Lower Case Game: Students can practice identifying upper and lower case letters.
Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching for Kids: Young students will enjoy matching upper and lower case letters in this game.
Writing Repeater Game: It can be fun to watch your own handwriting played out as a recording, and this game allows students to analyze their own handwriting.
Letter Aa Uppercase & Lowercase Writing: Start here with the letter A and then go to the resource library to practice all the letters.
Alphabet Tracing Game for Kids: Trace each letter with the color of your choosing.
Alphabet Game for Uppercase Letters: Follow the dots and arrows in this game to learn how to form upper case letters.