Kindergarten Handwriting Practice Activities and Centers

Many children find practicing handwriting tedious. My writing center is devoted to handwriting in the beginning of the year. My Kindergarten students NEED the practice. You'd be surprised by how many children form their letters incorrectly or don't know how to write certain letters at all. In order to keep things interesting and engaging for the students I vary my handwriting activities and try to keep them fun and hands-on as much as possible. 

Today, I'm going to share some of my favorite handwriting activities. They have all received the approval of both the Lil Divas and my students so I hope you'll find them useful as well. This post does contain Amazon affiliate links where possible for your convenience (see below for more details). 

Playdough Alphabet Mats - These are great! They can be used a few ways which makes them even better. I like getting numerous uses out of things, don't you? 

I laminate them for durability but you could also use sheet protectors. In the classroom I mainly use them for centers during the beginning of the year. We use them with playdough (my Kinder students LOVE this as a center activity!) to practice forming letters correctly.  Using playdough also helps them build their hand muscles because they have to break it, roll it, etc. We also use dry-erase markers on them to trace the letters. Aside from using them to practice writing I also use the sheets in my ABC center. We use them as a puzzle and the students put them in order on our big carpet. We play matching games with them and match the upper and lower case letters too. I'm sure you could use them other ways as well. If you can offer more ideas please share - I'd love to hear them.   

You could also use these with so many different manipulatives to build the letters - snap cubes , Foam Color Tiles , Two-Color Counters , Link n Learn Links and Unifix Cubes to name a few of my favorites.

The set pictured above is $2.50 from Lavinia Pop on Teachers-Pay-Teachers. It's my favorite because it shows correct letter formation. You can get some FREE sets to download too but I didn't find any with the letter formations and I found them worth the cost with so many uses.

Here is another set that I have used and can recommend if you prefer a FREE Play Doh Alphabet Mat set (by Mrs. Wheeler). 

Pattern Block Alphabet Mats (from Confessions of a Homeschooler) - My students love these because it's like a puzzle. The pattern blocks are always so much fun to create with so I have to set parameters and ensure they stay on task at centers. Once the expectations are set they do a great job though. 

Do-a-Dot Alphabet Mats (Confessions of a Homeschooler) - I actually use pom poms or 3/4-Inch Button Magnets on a cookie sheet with these pages. The pom poms can get messy and the students have a hard time keeping them on so I prefer the magnets. At home, I put magnets on pom poms for the Littlest Diva when she was younger and that worked really well too. I'd love to make enough of them to use in the classroom as a center but that's still on my "To Do" list. 

Wikki Stix Alphabet Fun Cards  - My students really enjoy forming letters out of wikki stix. The cards show the correct formation and I encourage them to follow it. I also don't let them cut the sticks. They have to bend them and/or fold them to form the letters. This helps keeps my wikki stix in tact and my students get some more hand muscle building exercise.  

GeoBoard Letters (Free Printables from Making Learning Fun) - You need lots of Rubber Bands (you can find color ones at the Dollar Store too) and some 5-Inch Geoboards for this.  If you have those items for your math center you can totally use them in your literacy centers too! Kids have so much fun with geoboards and these cards show exactly how to make the letters. It takes a little practice but once they get going they won't even use the cards for more than a quick glance to see what letter they will make. My kinders loved trying to figure out how to make the letters for themselves. 

Lego Alphabet (One Beautiful Home Blog) - This center is always so much fun and it is quite challenging for my Kinders, especially the first few times they try it. You need to have lots of Legos on hand for this. My students don't like taking their letters apart until the end of the center. They like to build them and stand them up (this is definitely part of the appeal). I have gotten lego donations and always ask around or look for sales, etc. 

If you need to make this simpler you can use any printable alphabet letters and just have the students lay the legos on top of them to create the letters. It's super easy and might be a good way to start before you move up to "building" the letters if you have children/students without lego experience. 

Magnetic Letter Builders (Confessions of a Homeschooler) - You will need a Xyron laminator for these but they are lots of fun to use. This is still one of my wish list items as I don't have the right laminator to make them. You can also purchase a similar type set from Learning Resources - 
Learning Resources Magnetic Letter Construction Set. 

Foam Letter Templates - I use these (FREE) Upper Case Letter and Lower Case Letter templates from Tired, Need Sleep. This is great for the students who need a little extra practice or younger children just starting out with letters. You'll definitely need to print out a few of each shape and laminate the letter templates for durability (or put them in sheet protectors).  

Highlighter Alphabet Letters - I use this as "real-life" practice in my handwriting center. I write the letters on our writing paper using a highlighter and slip into sheet protectors. The students use their dry erase markers to trace my letters. I use various colored highlighters and they choose the paper/color they want to work with as well as the color dry erase marker they want to use on it. It makes for a colorful center and it's great practice for them to see how to not only form letters but how to use the lines on our writing paper. Using the lines is a BIG deal and something that has to be taught to many students because most of them have not written on lined paper before starting school. 

Handwriting Sheets - I laminate them or put them in sheet protectors to use with dry erase markers. This saves a ton of paper and my Kinders adore using the dry erase markers. I provide various colors and encourage them to use the colors they like or even rainbow write by using a few colors (a huge hit!). 

I have a few favorites that I use because changing them up keeps my students interested in doing the activity. 

I LOVE these (FREE) A-Z Handwriting Printables (Confessions of a Homeschooler - Can you tell I am a big fan of her FREE printables! She is amazing!) for the beginning of the year because they include pre-writing practice along with the upper and lower case letters. 

I also use these Handwriting Sheets (FREE on TpT by Wild About Teaching). They have upper case and lower letter formation and a fun coloring section on top for differentiating lower/upper case letters. 

Another set I use are these Handwriting Printables (sightwordsgame.com) because they include a picture for the common sound and simple sentences which is great for budding Kindergarten writers. 

I hope you find these handwriting printables and resources useful for your home and/or classroom.

This post was written as part of my Get Ready for K thru Play series.

(for all the other posts in this series click the link above or the button below)

For even more 

Fine Motor and Handwriting Ideas 

be sure to check out my

 Kid Writing Ideas Pinterest Board

Writing and Fine Motor Pinterest Board

(Debbie Clement/Rainbows Within Reach)

Reading & Writing Readiness Pinterest Board 

(Allison McDonald/No Time for Flashcards)

the Get Ready for K Through Play Pinterest Board

and these posts from my series co-hosts:

Fine Motor Busy Bags for Kids

(Coffee Cups and Crayons)

Kindergarten Readiness: Fine Motor Skills

(Mamasmiles)

Fine Motor Skills: Handwriting Practice with Shaving Cream

(Mess for Less)

(Rainy Day Mum)

Fun Ways to Practice Writing Letters

(The Pleasantest Thing)

Happy Writing!

Bern

Disclosure: This post does contain Amazon affiliate links where possible for your convenience. If you click and decide to purchase something, this blog does get a small commission off each sale. Thank you for helping us continue to share our ideas with this opportunity. 

140+ Best Learning Activities of 2013

2013 has been a hectic year for me. Especially the last 5 months since I returned to full-time teaching. The blog has had to take a back seat but I am still here, hoping to find time to share with you again - soon.

I am so appreciative for those of you that continue to visit, comment and share our ideas. You keep me motivated to keep things going here, no matter how infrequent for now.

As 2013 comes to a close I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the posts we've shared with you. I love taking stock like this and looking back. It always amazes me which activities get the most attention. They aren't always the ones that I think will be well received.

Here are our Best Learning Activities of 2013 (chosen by your traffic). Together they provide 140+ ideas for making learning engaging, memorable and fun for children.

55 Ways to Make Handwriting Practice Fun for Kids

50+ Early Literacy Activities for Kids

Easter Science Activities for Kids

20 Alphabet & Phonics Activities

Favorite Books & Activities for Kids

Did your favorite learning activity post make our Top 5?

I'd love to hear which one was your fave.

Keep learning, playing & having fun together!

Bern

Building Essential Skills with Sewing

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by ALEX. I am an ALEX blogger and receive products for free. All opinions and experiences are my own - yours may differ.

The Lil Divas have been begging me to teach them to sew for months. Confession - this Mama does not sew! I have been putting it off for fear that I could not teach them to do something I wasn't good at myself but I recognize that it's something very beneficial for them to know how to do. I think everyone should at least be able to fix a seam, hem or patch a rip (thankfully I can do that if I really have to!) in a pinch. Aside from the obvious benefits of knowing how to sew because it is a practical life-long skill it is also a great way to help develop your child's hand/eye coordination and fine motor skills. Sewing is also a great way to boost their level of concentration, organization and planning skills and their ability to follow directions. 

How does a non-sewing Mama like me teach my curious girls how to sew and encourage them to tackle a project all their own? I had a little help from the ALEX My First Sewing Kit. This kit is packed with everything you need to tackle some fun first sewing projects including pre-cut felt, stuffing, fabric, needles, scissors, measuring tape, straight pins, buttons, rick rack, a thimble,  a pin cushion and more. 

Our first sewing project -  making the adorable stuffed animals of course! I worked with each Lil Diva, one-on-one, teaching them how to do a simple stitch. They caught on quickly and took the project very seriously. They really took their time, concentrated on each stitch and worked diligently to complete their stuffed animals. It was wonderful to share this first sewing experience with them. Having the kit made it so easy - everything was right at our fingertips including the easy to follow instructions. The kit has a suggested age of 7+ years but my 6 year old was able to do it with little assistance from me and she did a great job - especially for her very first sewing project.

The kit comes in a cute and colorful carrying case that not only provides great storage but can easily be used to take everything on-the-go as well. There are lots of sewing options provided in this compact kit. 

The Lil Divas can't wait to try their hand at something else and with the help of our ALEX My First Sewing Kit this non-sewing Mama actually feels like it's something I can help them do. While they are building all those essential skills, I'm building a few of my own. So while I may not be ready to sew our own clothes I can certainly feel proud of the new stuffed animals (made by our own hands) in our house. Who knows - maybe I'm helping nurture a future clothing designer or at least two sewing proficient Lil Divas. 

Have you introduced your children to sewing? What types of sewing projects have you tackled? I'd love some ideas for some simple, kid friendly sewing projects we can try together.

Bern

55 Ways to Make Handwriting Practice FUN for Kids {Get Ready for K Through Play}

During my 15+ years as an educator (wow, has it really been that long?!) I have had the privilege of teaching various grades from 3yr olds at the preschool level thru 3rd grade. I've seen lots of bad handwriting habits in that time. Why? Many children feel that practicing handwriting is a chore, an unwanted burden and something they dislike spending time on. With all the technology and electronic devices we have today, it almost seems like handwriting is becoming irrelevant. To me, it isn't. 

The ability to write takes fine motor development and increased control over a child's small motor movements. These are important skills to develop in children. Yet, I feel that less and less time is being spent on teaching children how to properly form letters and write. 

Do you know that it is harder to unteach a child the wrong way to make a letter than it is to teach them the correct way from the start. I can not tell you how many children I have come across that have made up their own way to write letters. It usually involves lots of extra and unnecessary steps and often results in illegible handwriting. 

As a teacher (and a mom) I am going to tell you that it is important to sit with your child and model how to properly form letters. It will help them greatly in school. Are you thinking this is a tedious task and simply not easy to do? Hopefully, I can offer some help that will make it easier for both you and your child(ren). 

Here's how - I am excited to share 55 ways that you can utilize at home (and in the classroom!) to make handwriting practice FUN and actually get kids to do it without groans and grumbles. Seriously! Get ready to think outside the box, ditch your standard pencil and white ruled paper for a change and simply have fun practicing writing. 

I'm not saying you should ditch the pencil and paper completely. Obviously, they are necessary. I'm simply here to remind you (or perhaps show you for the 1st time) that it is not the only way to get kids writing.

As I introduce children to letter formation, I have always preferred a hands-on approach using manipulatives. Even before children can properly grasp a pencil they can practice this way and get a feel for the way a letter should be formed. I model the correct formation with the children and then let them explore and in essence "create" letters.

Use Manipulatives to teach/reinforce letter formation -
1. Craft Sticks
2. play dough (try making your own!)
3. small stones, gems and/or rocks
4. stickers
5. cheerios
6. M&M's
7. Pipe Cleaners
8. Wikki Stix
9. bottle caps
10. cooked spaghetti
11. yarn/string
12. beans
13. cotton balls
14. small strips of paper
15. twigs, sticks 
16. small erasers
17. Unifix/Snap Cubes or Wood Counting Cubes
18. cookie cutters dipped in paint
19. flower petals and/or small leaves
20. q-tips and/or toothpicks

You don't even need a pencil and paper to practice handwriting! Break out of your comfort zone and let your children have fun practicing forming letters in/on -
21. shaving cream
22. salt tray
23. rice tray
24. ziploc baggie filled with Paint
25. ziploc baggie filled with hair gel 
26. Finger Paint
27. pudding
28. icing
29. sand
30. dirt

Let them use their fingers or a paintbrush to practice the strokes. This is tactile and a great way for them to remember how the letter is formed. Later, when they are ready for the pencil they will have a solid starting point and know how to properly form those letters. Yay!

Doing the same old paper and pencil practice over and over again can get boring for everyone. Get creative, get up off the table and have fun writing on -
31. the sidewalk (use chalk, chalk paint or a paintbrush & plain water)
32. a mirror (use dry erase markers)
33. a Magna Doodle
34. a Dry Erase Board
35. the windows (use window crayons or markers)
36. the bathroom tile (use dry erase markers)
37. a Chalk Board (use chalk, a paintbrush & water or fill/color in chalkboard with chalk and invite child to write using water and a paintbrush)
38. the air
39. your back (with their finger)
40. the dirt with a stick
41. Sheet Protectors with Dry Erase and/or Wet Erase markers
42. a Geoboard with rubber bands 

Practicing writing doesn't mean you have to sit at a table. Many younger children are resistant to sitting and practicing. Those same children may delight in writing in dirt with a stick while playing outside, tracing letters on your palm or back as you cuddle in bed before bedtime or writing on the tile walls in the bathtub during bath time. You'd be surprised at how much more fun writing is when you simply do it at a different time or place than expected. Try it!

Stuck on the traditional pencil as your "go to" writing tool? Changing your child's writing tool can make all the difference. Why not use some different (ak.a fun) tools to practice writing -
43. Crayons (you could even try making your own recycled crayons to use!)
44. Chalk
45. Washable Window Crayons and/or Washable Window Markers
46. Markers (colored, Dry Erase and/or Wet Erase)
47. Colored Pencils
48. glue bottles (add food coloring or watercolors to your glue for extra fun or just cover it in glitter for added sparkle)
49. fingers (i.e. finger-painting, using fingerprints and an ink pad, finger-writing in the air or on your back)
50. q-tips (dip in paint or water)
51. small sponges (dip in paint or water)
52. Do A Dot Markers (Bingo Daubers)
53. cars with wheels dipped in paint
54. Quill Feathers dipped in paint or ink.
55. Paintbrushes (use with paint or water)

Go ahead and grab some different materials, change up the work space and have fun teaching your children how to write. It will prove to be invaluable in Kindergarten and there's no better way to get ready for K than through play!

Thank you to My Cute Graphics for the use of the superhero kids graphic.

This post is part 6 of an 8 week series being hosted on 6 blogs to help kids Get Ready for K Through Play! In previous weeks we discussed:

 Developing Kindergarten Language Skills

Top 5 Social Skills for Kindergarten Readiness

Independence Skills

Math Concepts

Top Books for Beginning Readers

For even more fine motor and writing ideas

check out our other post -

15 Ways to Encourage Letter Formation & Handwriting Practice 
 and our Pinterest Boards -

 Fine Motor Fun and Kids Writing Ideas 

Be sure to read this week's posts shared by my series co-hosts:

Scissor Practice Tips for Preschoolers

(by Coffee Cups and Crayons)

5 Playful Ways to Develop Fine Motor Skills

(by Mama Smiles)

Fine Motor Practice with Straws  

(by Mess for Less)

Fine Motor Skills Crafts for Kids

 (by Toddler Approved)

Simple Fine Motor Activities for Home
(by Rainy Day Mum)

and be sure to follow our Get Ready for K Through Play Pinterest Board for lots of awesome Kindergarten Readiness resources, ideas and activities. 

Have fun getting ready for K!

Bern

Disclosure - This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience. I do receive a small payment when purchases are made via my links. Thank you.