How to Improve Handwriting for Kids AND Adults

Published:
July 19, 2022

Sarah Shelton

Contributor:
Sarah Shelton

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Good handwriting doesn’t come naturally. It is something that needs to be taught and practiced. Though no matter how much instruction you give, some kids and even adults just tend to have poor handwriting. Find out how to improve handwriting for kids and adults.

How to Improve Handwriting for Kids and Adults text with photo of pen writing on paper.

Why Neat Handwriting is Important

One of the most important reasons to have neat handwriting is so that other people can read it. Legible handwriting is a life skill that everyone needs to have, because if your handwriting is messy other people will not be able to read it. It can also make you look sloppy and unorganized.

Even though we live in a very strong digital age, handwriting is still used in everyday life. Some job applications are still paper applications, as well as W-4 paperwork that you need to fill out when you get your first job.

If your handwriting is not legible, the wrong information could be inputted and it could cause an error on a paycheck or even at a doctor’s office.

How to Improve Handwriting

Beautiful handwriting doesn’t always come naturally to everyone and sometimes you have to start over when teaching handwriting. In this digital world we don’t write enough by hand, so extra practice is going to be needed to improve handwriting skills. 

How to Improve Handwriting for Kids

Many kids struggle with handwriting. Their fine motor skills may not be strong enough in their hand muscles to form the letters and words neatly. Some kids put way too much pressure on their pencil and push too hard and can tear the paper. Others may have a very relaxed grip and be rushed and messy.

All of these things could use some improvement for better handwriting. 

Analyze Your Child’s Handwriting

If your child struggles with messy handwriting you may want to look at and analyze a few things first. 

Spacing

Spacing is an important skill to work on in handwriting. You want to make sure that your child is not smooshing their letters together and that they are leaving a finger space between each word.

The best way to work on this is by literally having them put one finger on their paper between each word. This will help them visually see that a space needs to be there. 

Slant

Cursive writing traditionally begins with slanting cursive handwriting sheets so that your writing is naturally slanted. This gives your writing a more fluid and professional look.

Your children can also practice writing with a slant to improve their handwriting. This would be called italic writing and it is a very helpful handwriting style for children that struggle with writing neatly.

Style

Children will begin to show their own personal style of handwriting and individuality by the time they are a teen. Shortcuts would have developed in their brain to form letters faster, and they may begin to copy other styles to give them a unique style. Some still use print while others may use exclusively cursive or a mix of cursive and print. 

Height of Letters

Children need to learn how to properly size their letters. When your child is younger they may practice writing huge letters and big lined paper. This is to help them with letter formation. As they begin writing, the size of the lines on the paper get smaller and so will the height of their letters.

You will need to work on tall, short and tail letters and that they are formed properly no matter the size of the lines of the paper.

Baseline for Letters

The baseline for handwriting is the very bottom line that the letters sit upon. In early handwriting lessons the practice paper will have thick lines with dotted lines in the middle so children have more room to write and a bright red line at the very bottom. This is the baseline. 

When you are checking your child’s handwriting work you will want to make sure that the letters that sit on the baseline are flat and smooth. You can even take a highlighter and highlight the letters on the baseline so your children can actually see if there letters are dancing all over the place.

Proper pencil grip

Make sure you’re child is using the grip that’s most comfortable for their hand. There are different types of pencil grips : triangle grip, claw grip, grotto grip, and the solo grip.

These grips work as an aid to help your child to write comfortably and give them better handwriting. Try out some of the different grips to see which one would be the best fit. 

Lastly, you can use an ergonomic pencil grip tool to help your child get a great pencil grip, no matter if they are left handed or righthanded. 

ergonomic pencil grip   ergonomic pencil grip

Adjust Paper Line Sizes

You may need to adjust the lines on your child’s paper to help them to improve their handwriting. There are different line spacing for children that may feel better than others. Some children do well with smaller handwriting on college ruled spacing lines, while others do better on wide lined paper.

You can experiment with different types of papers, notebooks and notepads. Once you see one that looks the best for your handwriting you can work on trying to find that type of notebook for future use. 

handwriting practice paper for kids   handwriting practice paper for adults

Use a Penmanship Book

A penmanship book is a notebook that you can use to work on your handwriting skills. You can have your children copy their favorite passages in their neatest handwriting into their penmanship book. They can use their favorite quotes from book, movies or poets.

A penmanship book is a great thing to look back on later and see how their writing has improved from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. 

Incorporate Copywork

Copywork is a great tool for improving handwriting skills. When your child is doing their copy work time they are needing to write in their best handwriting and as neatly as they can. Copywork is a wonderful to way to practice handwriting and proper grammar. Be sure to check out our big list of 75 free copywork downloads.

Copywork for Homeschoolers - What You Need to Know text with image of child writing

Ways to Improve Handwriting for Adults

Thankfully, there are even ways that adults can improve their handwriting skills, even though they’ve already developed handwriting habits. 

Analyze Your Handwriting

The best way to improve your handwriting is by taking a look at what your current handwriting looks like. Take a good long look at your handwriting and take a minute to analyze it and see what changes need to be made. 

By taking a minute to look over what your writing looks like, you will immediately see things that pop out at you that may need to be changed. Maybe you need to slow down so that your handwriting doesn’t look rushed. A nice more expensive pen will help your writing to look cleaner and more professional.

Write More

The more that you write things down on paper, the more practice you will get with handwriting. As you begin to hand write things daily you will notice that your handwriting naturally begins to improve.

Focus On Consistency

We all have heard the phrase “Practice makes perfect.” Practice takes consistency by doing the same thing every single day. As you are consistent with writing by hand, your handwriting will improve over time. 

Use Different Writing Utensils

A pencil doesn’t glide as well on paper as ballpoint pens or better yet, gel pens. Rollerball pens have a smoother glide to them as you are writing which leans toward prettier handwriting. The right pen makes a huge difference in neat handwriting. Experiment with different writing utensils and you will find the perfect one for your handwriting style.

Ways to Practice Handwriting

An easy way to get regular practice with handwriting is by incorporating it into your daily tasks. There are many simple ways to include handwriting into your life style. 

Write in a Journal

Writing in a journal is a great way to improve your handwriting skills. When you write by hand as you are journaling your thoughts you are stopping to think about what you are writing. You won’t be rushed and you are focusing on putting your thoughts down onto paper. This creative thinking will help your handwriting to be ore focused and personal.

A bullet journal is another way to improve your handwriting skills. It is a decorative to do list that lends itself to more creative and artsy handwriting.

Write Letters

Letter writing is slowly becoming a lost art. As you write letters to friends and family your thoughts and emotions are being poured out of your mind, through your pen, and onto paper. You will notice that your handwriting is more personal and has a nicer look to it. Even kids love learning to write letters, so they can do this too! A letter template for kids can be a great place to start.

Write Out Your Grocery List

When you write out what groceries you need to buy you are practicing handwriting. As you think about what ingredients you need to complete your meals you are concentrating on what you are putting down onto paper. 

Leave Handwritten Notes for Your Family

Jotting down sweet notes for your spouse and children is a fun way to work on your handwriting skills. These notes can be more customized and personal. They may have a cute cartoony flair to them with swirls, and even doodles. This is a sweet and fun way to improve and get creative with your handwriting style.

Take Notes

The more you write, the better your handwriting will become. Bring a notepad with you wherever you go. Jot down notes at doctor’s offices, or work meetings. Taking notes during sermons at church or Bible Studies is a great time to hone in on perfecting your handwriting skills as well. You can use a study guide template to write notes in, or just use regular notebook paper.

Handwriting Worksheets

Handwriting worksheets are a great way to get in some extra handwriting practice. You can even incorporate the extra practice sheets into your daily morning time or extra curricular activities in your homeschool.

Free Printable Handwriting Worksheets for Kindergarten

Kindergarten is when young children really begin writing. They write their names, words and even short sentences. There is a lot that needs to be remembered when they are first learning how to write. Giving them practice sheets like these free printable handwriting worksheets for kindergarten will be a great help. 

Handwriting Worksheets for Elementary Students

Create your own handwriting worksheets for your students. You can use words that are included in your curriculum reading lists, or even spelling words. Customize them to the words that your students need to work on the most. 

The first step in handwriting is often teaching kids how to write their names. Using a name tracing generator is a great way to help them get the practice they need.

Cursive Handwriting Sheets

Cursive handwriting can sometimes seem like it is becoming a lost art. Find out the benefits of cursive writing and why you should encourage it and teach it in your homeschool. Learning cursive will naturally lead to better and neater handwriting.

If you are teaching your children how to write in cursive, then they can start with cursive letter tracing. After they master letters, you can use cursive handwriting sheets to teach them how to write words in cursive.

77 Free Printable Cursive Writing Practice Sheets

FAQ About Improving Handwriting:

Just so you know that you are not alone, many people struggle with wanting to improve their handwriting. Here are some of the most common frequently asked questions about improving handwriting.

What is the fastest way to improve your handwriting?

The fastest way to improve your handwriting is by practicing daily and also using the right writing utensil. A good pen tends to help improve writing almost immediately.

How can I make my handwriting better and neater?

Make sure that you have a good grip and that you are sitting comfortably with proper posture. Take your time and concentrate on each stroke and letter formation. Do not rush yourself. When you rush your handwriting will look rushed. 

Why is my handwriting so poor?

You may be wondering why your handwriting is so poor. The most common reason for poor handwriting is because of speed. If you are writing in a hurry your handwriting will look sloppy and have a rushed and messy feel to it. Think about what you are doing when you are normally writing. Take a breath, and slow down.

Poor handwriting can also be caused by a learning disability like dyslexia, dysgraphia or ADHD.

Can adults improve handwriting?

Yes, adults can improve handwriting, though they will need to be devoted to making it happen. It won’t be easy at first as good handwriting is based on muscle memory acquired from childhood. Muscle memory can be reprogrammed with daily practice. 

Is writing in cursive faster?

Writing in cursive is much faster than print handwriting. This is because the cursive letters are connected and your pen does not come off of the paper as often. The end result is faster, and prettier handwriting.

How long does it take to improve handwriting?

You can improve your handwriting in about a month if you are consistent with practicing about 20 minutes a day. It will take some work and diligence, but it can be done in a short amount of time. Make sure to stick with it and do not rush.

Free Handwriting Practice 

In Conclusion:

No matter your age or stage in life, you can improve your handwriting with some extra practice and a little concentration and effort. The more you practice writing on a daily basis and incorporating handwriting whenever you can, the more your handwriting will improve. 

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