Is your child having trouble learning to write letters or is their handwriting messy? This is an important article that could make a big difference to them.
“The nature of play is changing with the increasing use of technology. Children are going to school without the necessary underlying movement skills they NEED to hold a pencil correctly and write”
If children head to school without having opportunities to develop these essential movement skills they’ll have difficulty learning to write, will lose confidence in themselves and require a longer period of therapy which costs more.
When you give your child opportunities to develop the essential movement skills they need for writing and get help early from a passionate Occupational Therapist if your child is struggling to develop them you’ll set them up for writing success. Your child will be able to learn to write easily, have confidence that they are on par with their peers and save you money on long term therapy.
“We’re sick of apps trying to convince parents that they are helping children develop the skills they need. They are NOT building your child’s essential movement skills. There is NO evidence to back them up”
If you want your child learn to write easily and be confident and eager to practice then keep reading as these next three fantastic and fun activities will do just that.
Cutting
Cut up those old greeting cards and birthday invitations or grab some cardboard from the shops. Cutting through thickish card is great for hand strength, wrist stability, hand eye coordination and control and motor planning. All essential skills for writing. Remember to make sure your child’s holding the scissors correctly. This means the thumb in the top handle and the pointer and middle finger in the lower handle. The other two fingers should be tucked into the palm.
Painting
When the weather is warm head outside. Fill a bucket with water, grab a couple of large paint brushes and let them paint a wall or fence. If you’re brave, let them loose with the coloured paint! You’ll need a big piece of paper to stick up on a wall. The rolls of paper they sell in department stores, craft shops and even IKEA are perfect for this. Encourage them to make wide sweeping motions with the brush. This increases their range of shoulder movement and improves their shoulder control. These are two massively important skills for writing.
Building blocks
Actual physical building blocks like Lego™ should be part of every child’s play, not the apps! Playing with these builds hand eye coordination, pinch grip strength, two hand coordination and hold and do hand functions. Again, these are all must have skills for learning to write.
If your child is struggling to write or they can’t do the activities above easily get advice from a dedicated and passionate paediatric Occupational Therapist now. Call us on (02) 9653 9955 or email us at info@talkplaygrow.com.au to chat about your concerns with our awesome team.
