As a parent, we stay busy. We go to Little League games and dance recitals, movie nights and birthday parties. In the midst of the fast-paced day, we often miss the details. Though our kids are learning more every day, and have access to quite literally the world, some of the things we take for granted are falling to the wayside.

Take cursive handwriting.

Cursive is disappearing from the classrooms, yielding to an era of word-processing prowess and textable data. But more and more parents are realizing that, whether they homeschool or send their kids to a traditional setting, they want their children to know how to read and write in cursive. Just the simple act of writing your name takes on an elegance no block letter can provide.

And who doesn’t like to receive a handwritten letter in the mail?

It’s hard to find the time to develop a curriculum yourself, so we’ve made it simple. By combining our Cadoozles mechanical pencils with these handy tips and resources, you can guide your little scholar to cursive comfort in no time at all.

So, what do you need to do?

  1. First, if you do not currently home school or have a homework area set aside, find a great spot with a flat surface and no distractions. Kids don’t necessarily take to this right away, and can be easily dragged away by disruptions.

  2. Decide on the length of time to be devoted to this project. Take into account how much homework your child already has to complete, as well as extracurricular activities. This can be taken on slowly, with a new letter every few days, or if your child is excited, in a few weekends.

  3. Make sure you’ve selected an appropriate writing implement. The child-friendly grip and patterns, and roll-resistant design, of our fun Cadoozles makes a tedious task more enjoyable.

  4. Consider developing a reward system to coordinate with the project. As each new upper and lowercase letter is learned, have your child color in a chart. When they complete it, come up with an appropriate and fun activity or prize.

  5. Incorporate history into the lesson! Show your child historical documents and let them pick out letters they can identify as they go. Let them know how much cursive has changed over the centuries; make sure to include more recent historical documents and letters (how about family records?)

  6. Ask your friends and family to get involved! Request letters to your child on social media. You’ll be stunned by just how many people love the idea, and your child will be thrilled to check the mail every day. Once your child is a bit more comfortable, have them write responses and include one of your own so your child can see your handwriting too. Your family and friends will love it.

  7. BE PATIENT! This is hard stuff; give them time and take frequent breaks

Think back on when you learned cursive in school. Handwriting is generally not taught in alphabetical order. We’re including some resources for you to try. You will find both pre-made and cursive worksheet generators online so try them out to find what works for you.

RESOURCES:

Handwriting Without Tears

Cadoozles help busy parents teach cursive at home


Kidzone

 

Cadoozles help parents teach cursive at home with proper finger placement

 

HandwritingWorksheets.com

These cursive worksheets help parents teach cursive at home. Cadoozles are a great pencil choice.
It’s the age of digital communication and we often get disconnected from skills we don’t use. Are you an adult in need of a refresher on your handwriting? Check out this workbook from the National Adult Literacy Agency. Grab some Z-Grip Plus Mechanical Pencils and get writing!