Earlier this week, I talked about how important reading is for helping students learn how to write. It’s an especially good tool over the summer when you need a break from school. A student who reads is unconsciously learning grammar, spelling, composition, organization, and creativity. My kids have learned far more about writing from reading than anything else. With the right books, reading is entertainment not work.
I also think you can help students improve their physical writing skills – the ability to write legibly and fluidly – without doing traditional handwriting work over the summer.
You’ve doubtless heard a lot about core stability in fitness. This is the idea that strong abdominals and back extensors will create a stable base for your arms and legs to operate from. A strong core translates into better performance in walking, running, dancing, weightlifting, and virtually any physical activity you can think of.
Similarly, a strong shoulder girdle provides an anchor for handwriting. You can’t expect the hand to function well if it’s not supported by the shoulder and arm.
Shoulder strengthening happens naturally with activities like using the monkey bars, bear crawling across the yard (on hands and feet), shooting baskets, or doing cartwheels. Children also activate shoulder muscles when they lay on their stomachs and prop up on their elbows to play a board game.
Of course, pushups and targeted exercises activate the muscles of the shoulder, but unless your child is gung-ho about working out it might be best to avoid pursuing this route. You know, us adults can make just about everything work. We don’t go outside and play. We exercise. We work out. Try and make this easy and interesting for your kids, not a chore.
It’s often helpful to explain the purpose of these activities. If you think it’s appropriate, help your student understand why you’re asking them to prop up on their elbows while they read. Let your kids take an active role. Maybe they can come up with better ways to achieve the same goals. Have them do an online search for activities to promote shoulder stabilization and let them become the ‘expert’.
Once you have shoulder stabilization going, consider ways to improve fine motor control for handwriting. Summer is the perfect time to explore activities other than writing which require dexterity and control. Think about what your child might enjoy doing – sewing, building legos, drawing, sculpting, cake decorating, cat’s cradle, magic tricks, learning a musical instrument – the list is virtually endless.
Activities over the summer that promote shoulder stabilization and fine motor control will translate into improved handwriting in the fall, just as summer reading will promote better writing next year. Along the way, your child will be trying new hobbies and exploring new worlds – all without doing traditional schoolwork.
This post provides ideas for addressing mild deficits for the physical act of handwriting. Please have your child evaluated if you think they need more help.