Tips and Tricks for Handwriting Development

In honor of National Handwriting Day, we wanted to share some tips and tricks to help promote handwriting development. These are strategies provided to you by a community Occupational Therapist.

Individuals with Down syndrome have low tone which impacts their ability to hold a writing tool and complete handwriting strokes. We want to make sure we provide stability in their body in order to have better success with writing.

It is important to develop both core and hand muscles, because children must develop the ability to rotate the wrist, open and close their hand, manipulate and turn objects, hold a pencil, AND build endurance in order to complete handwriting tasks. Building these skills will help your child develop the foundational handwriting skills to promote success in school.

Try these activities at least once a day to build your child’s hand strength and overall endurance. Remember to have fun! The more fun YOU and your child are having together, the more likely they will participate in handwriting and homework at home and school. Doing one of these daily, you are supporting their handwriting skills!

• Play with Play Dough. Roll, cut, pinch, or cut. Hide things inside of the dough or stick golf tees inside.
• Legos, wooden blocks, or Bristle blocks
• Pick up different sized pom pom or cotton balls with kitchen tongs or tweezers
• Place dried noodles or beads on pipe cleaners
• Pop bubbles on bubble wrap
• Tear, rip, or crumple paper to make crafts
• Create an indoor obstacle using blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, couch cushions, pool noodles, rolled up towels, etc.
• Animal walks- Have your child crawl like a dog, bear, crab, worm or frog
• Feed a tennis ball- Cut a slit through a tennis ball, add googly eyes and let the fun begin. Pretend to feed it cotton balls by squeezing the ball with your hands
• Squirt bottle fun- Have your child squirt the back door, give a toy car a car wash, or have a water bottle fight.
• Twister! Great way to build upper body strength and visual motor skills
• Tape a large piece of paper to a wall or back door. These are vertical surfaces that promote a great wrist position. Use crayons, finger paint, magnets, stamps, sponges, shaving cream, pudding, apple sauce, oatmeal etc.
• Using a hole punch, make confetti or DIY lacing cards
• Have your child help with cooking meals. Have them open jars, stir food in a bowl or tear lettuce