Don’t let handwriting skills lapse – Do these things this summer

In this age of typing, what value does the written word have? The answer is: lots. Handwriting – even when it’s not in cursive – has huge impact on cognition, and it is an excellent memory and learning aid. The reason why is simple… people who write things down have to think about what they are writing, much more so than people who simply type what they hear.

Cursive writing is also a wonderful skill. It’s great for building fine-motor control and hand eye coordination. Whether you are teaching and practicing cursive, or simply just jotting things down in block print, you (and your children!) should write, write, write.

Here’s five great ways to get more writing practice in this summer without ever saying you’re practicing writing.

Write thank you notes: It’s been a long and fearful haul for many people working jobs outside of the home during the pandemic, and many of them go without much thought or recognition. Doctors, nurses, cashiers in essential services, delivery drivers, and waste collectors have served an important role in keeping our lives normal and safe during this time. Why not write them a handwritten thank you note? Bonus: we guarantee you’ll make someone very happy with your thoughtfulness!

Write out some recipes: Have you been experimenting in the kitchen at all this summer yet? When you find a new recipe you want to try, don’t print them out… write them out in a handy notepad which will keep them all together! The best part about writing out a recipe is you can feel free to modify it… and add in any of your favourite variations! And every age in the household can write out their own recipe books with their personal favourites that they love to make… and eat.

Play Boggle: What if we told you that there was a family game that was GREAT for vocabulary AND reading AND writing AND lots of fun too? Well, that game would be Boggle. It’s a wonderful, portable game that involves shaking dice with letters and trying to write down as many words as you can with three letters or more that you can find within the allotted time period. You can easily modify the game to be more friendly for younger players by increasing the timer or eliminating the letter point tally in favour of points per word. Who can find the most words in your household?

And on that note, playing Hangman is a great choice for older kids too!

Write some positive messages on the sidewalks: Since many of us have nowhere to go, we’re staying around the house and neighbourhood more. Break out the sidewalk chalk and write happy messages and pretty doodles to anybody who may be walking by to read them.

Encourage journaling: Whether keeping a personal diary or taking specific notes for a purpose – such as a nature journal – journaling is a great, guaranteed way to get some regular writing practice in all week long!

What do you love to write down the most?