07 Jul #1 Back-to-School Blunder
Every year millions of parents and their children head to stores with a list of required supplies for the return back to school. Every year that list includes a composition notebook. Despite the wide range of ages, this book is a standard purchase and in my book the #1 Back-to-School Blunder for Kindergarteners.
The Problem with Composition Books
Young children that are just learning to write and beginning to master their hand skills typically write large. The lines of a composition book are for small writing and lead to errors in handwriting and poor habits in addition to the confusion it causes children when their other workbooks and worksheets provide large lines and more visual cues. There, however, is somewhat of a simple solution to help a child. You can use a marker to create a dashed line to serve as a middle line sandwiched between two solid lines. This will create a larger space closer to the one-inch height that is more suitable for large printing. You may want to discuss this with the teacher beforehand and explain your alteration.
I hope you find this tip helpful. If your child is having difficulty with handwriting skills, you should consult with your doctor about having an occupational therapist conduct an evaluation and create a treatment plan if deemed necessary. Have a playful day!
Amy Baez, MOT, OTR/L
Amy Baez is a pediatric occupational therapist, award-winning handwriting author, and Founder of Playapy. For more information, visit www.playapy.com or email [email protected].