Handwriting at Home (Manuscript)

One glance at the handwriting selections in a curriculum catalog will send you into a whirlwind of confusion and dismay at the options available.
Choosing a handwriting curriculum really isn't that difficult when you look at the basic components of the various curriculum choices. They are so simplistic, in fact, it's very simple to create your own program!
Children have to be taught to write the same way they are taught to read; with consistency and incrementally. Progress one step at a time, mastering each one before going on to the next.
Children are usually taught to write in Kindergarten and 1st grade. At this point, children should be familiar with their letters and know how to properly hold a pencil.
Children at this age will benefit from having specially sized paper for learning to write. This paper is available in tablet form and readily availalbe anywhere school supplies are sold.

Tracing Letters
Print a handwriting chart from the many available on the internet. One is available HERE, on the www.HomeSchoolAvenue.com website.
Begin by having child trace letters with their fingers. Pay close attention to teaching children the starting point of the letter. (Trust me. Extra time spent here will save you many headaches later!)
Some children will try to write their letters from bottom to top (my children, included). Most letters are written from the top. When printing, the only letters started from the bottom will be the uppercase letters M and N.
An easy tip for teaching starting points is to put a dot on the letter where it is supposed to begin.

Copywork
Once your child has mastered the teaching process, begin to actually print letters. Practice printing only one or two letters a day. I always add a short word that begins with the letter of the day to that day's lesson.
As your child masters the letters of the alphabet, gradually increase the words that your child copies each day.
Expect that the mastery of these skills will take time. Time and experience will allow your child to progress and feel pride over their accomplishments.
One note here, if you see that your child is willing to do the work but is still having difficulty forming letters properly, he may not yet have developed enough control within the muscular system of his hand to fully master this skill. You don't have to make him sit for hours with a pencil and paper to work on this. Try giving him puzzles, drawing assignments, or teach him to play an instrument. Anything that will work on manual dexterity will help. Be patient. Sometimes, just like as when they learned to walk, these skills just take time and practice.
You can add interest to handwriting assignments by having him copy sentences from stories, Bible passages or interesting quotes.

Journaling and Copybooks
Purchasing a nice notebook or blank hardback book doesn't have to cost alot (they are, in fact, available at our local dollar store) but can really boost your child's desire to write daily.

Assign 15-20 minutes a day for handwriting. Writing letters, creating family newsletters, starting a recipe collection, and making books can make for fun and interesting writing exercises.
Journaling, (HSA's favorite!), also, will assist handwriting skills while providing a very accurate recording of the children's thoughts and events of their life.

There are so many wonderful homeschooling resources available. Handwriting doesn't have to be complicated, nor expensive to teach. Explore the possibilites and save your money for the longer lasting choices that avail themselves to homeschoolers.