Making marks in the sand while playing at the beach, messy play at nursery or simply a chunky crayon on paper is something that most children naturally attempt while growing up.

As they adventure through school writing becomes one of the main focus points for learning and expressing their knowledge. Sometimes children or teachers can become frustrated with handwriting for a number of reasons. Writing may be rushed with little thought given to each letter, messy to the point of illegible or just too squashed together.

If your child is struggling with writing whatever their age how can you help them improve?

There are many ways to improve handwriting including letter formation, pencil grip and spacing between words. Younger children can boost their confidence by practising the formation of each individual letter using a Handwriting Worksheet.

Print a Free Down Load Here and let them practice as much as they like.

We have put together some really simple ways to help your child improve their handwriting and grow to love expressing themselves through the power of the written word.

Presenting your child with a generic pen or pencil and expecting them to flow across the paper like Wordsworth is something most parents know to be impossible!

You can give them a helping hand by investing in the proper writing tools that will help them every step of the way. We love STABILO EASY Start Pens ,designed by scientists to actively improve handwriting and confidence. It’s fair to say you wouldn’t give a child a huge bike and expect them to ride it so the same can be said about pencils designed for adult writing. With great value packs available for ages 2-6 Years, 6-10 Years and 10 years plus they can learn to control their pencil much more easily.

Children writing with their left hand can find things a little more difficult than their right handed buddies. With classrooms generally equipped with stationery for the right handed user it can make writing a huge challenge from the outset.

Pens made specifically for left handed users ensure that the design is ergonomically easier for Lefties to use – instantly boosting confidence and improving handwriting. Don’t forget the STABILO range of Left Handed Pens also feature ones specifically designed for left handed starters!

Rather than making writing a chore encourage games of hangman, word puzzles or writing funny jokes and stories. Encourage your child to say words before they write them, using phonics techniques to explore letters and sounds. Make sure they remember to slow down and take their time, less rushing and more thinking about every letter formation is a great habit.

Repeat, Repeat and Repeat!

Keep practicing using pens that are specifically for handwriting such as Berol. These pens are a must have for writing with in any circumstance and it’s a great idea to get children using them from the outset.

TOP TIP - Keep writing through the school holidays to prevent losing all of the progress that they have made through the school year.

If frustrations are mounting and motivation is lacking try inspiring them with fun stationery! Encourage them with a special pencil or pen that’s brightly coloured, sparkly or a novelty brand that they love. A cool pencil case to keep their writing pens and pencils in is a great way to encourage the love of writing and all things related to it.

Making sure your child gets into the habit of sitting properly to write will be an instant help when it comes to writing neater. Follow the below golden rules;

-Sitting at a table

-Sitting on an upright chair

-Using decent light (lamp or good natural light)

-Sat high enough to the table that they can easily see the pencil point forming the letters

Having the correct grip on the pen or pencil is so important when writing and can be the difference between neat and untidy.

Try and get them to position the pen between the ball of the thumb and the forefinger supported by the middle finger with the other fingers tucked into the hand. Bic Kids do a fantastic range of pens that have a visual guiding line for correct finger positioning. Designed by experts specifically for children to hold pens correctly Bic Kids are recommended by teachers!

Think outside the box when it comes to practicing handwriting with your child. Messy play and mark making appeal to children of any age and older children will always want to get involved with this kind of fun!

All you need is a tray (if playing indoors), fingers, sticks or feathers. Try mark making with sand, flour, shaving foam, or rice. Writing names and words this way is so fun that children won’t realise they are working and learning at all!

Another super fun mark making activity involves painting a thickish layer of poster paint onto card and using sticks to write through the paint. Don’t be scared to get a bit messy and try new ways to learn – the kids will absolutely love it!

CLICK HERE FOR EASYoriginal PENS AND PENCILS