✍️ Home Program Activities to Support Handwriting
- claire2876
- Jul 28
- 2 min read
Building confident, capable writers with occupational therapy support
Handwriting is more than just putting pen to paper — it’s a complex skill that relies on posture, hand strength, visual processing, fine motor coordination, and the ability to plan and sequence letters and words. For many children and adults, handwriting challenges can make everyday tasks like schoolwork, forms, or signing documents frustrating and overwhelming.
Occupational therapists support clients to improve the foundational skills needed for writing and offer practical, fun, and engaging ways to practise at home. Whether your goal is neater schoolwork, improved speed, or greater independence, targeted home activities can make a big difference.
👶 Preschool Handwriting Activities
Preschoolers aren’t expected to write letters yet — the focus should be on developing pre-writing skills through play.
Playdough play: Roll, squeeze, and shape letters or simple lines to strengthen hand muscles.
Drawing with fingers: Use sand, shaving cream, or finger paint to draw shapes, lines, and squiggles.
Vertical surface drawing: Use chalkboards, easels, or window markers to encourage shoulder and wrist strength.
Shape tracing: Start with large shapes like circles, squares, and zig-zags using stencils or templates.
🧒 Primary School Handwriting Activities
At this stage, children are writing more frequently and require practice with speed, legibility, and letter formation.
Letter formation games: Use rainbow writing (tracing letters in different colours), chalk outlines, or highlighters for guided writing.
Copying tasks: Write short words, sentences, or spelling lists from models placed either beside or above.
Handwriting warm-ups: Try hand pushes, wall push-ups, or pencil walks before writing to wake up hand muscles.
Writing with purpose: Make birthday cards, shopping lists, or short diary entries to give handwriting a real-life context.
👦👧 High School Handwriting Activities
Teens may experience handwriting fatigue, difficulty with speed, or self-consciousness about their writing style.
Timed writing drills: Copy sentences in one-minute bursts to build fluency and track progress over time.
Typing and handwriting balance: Alternate between keyboard and handwritten tasks to reduce strain but maintain skills.
Cursive practice: For those using cursive, practice common letter joins or focus on neat signature development.
Study note rewriting: Rewrite class notes or summaries to reinforce learning and practise handwriting control.
👨 Adults Handwriting Activities
Adults with motor coordination challenges, neurological conditions, or injury may benefit from targeted support to regain or maintain writing skills.
Functional handwriting tasks: Practise filling out forms, writing shopping lists, or completing journal entries.
Grip and posture checks: Use pencil grips, slanted surfaces, or adaptive pens to reduce strain and improve control.
Letter drills: Repetition of problem letters (e.g., ‘r’, ‘a’, ‘s’) in rows for consistency and legibility.
Hand strengthening: Include regular use of therapy putty, stress balls, or resistance bands to support hand endurance.
If your child or client is struggling with handwriting, our occupational therapists can help. We create personalised programs that make handwriting practice fun, functional, and effective.
Our waitlist is open — make a referral today:
