As an occupational therapist, I work on handwriting with many autistic students. Handwriting is a complex skill that combines fine motor skills, motor planning, visual perception, and sensory awareness.
During the school year, my students make hard-earned progress but often experience summer regression after a break. While maintaining these skills is important, children also need time to play and explore.
Worksheets aren’t fun, and forcing schoolwork over the summer can lead to power struggles. Here are five fun, worksheet-free ways for an effective summer handwriting practice.
1. Letter formation with different mediums
Have your child practice writing letters in sand, salt, Play-Doh, shaving cream, finger paint, or even in bubbles during bathtime.
These sensory-rich experiences activate more areas of the brain to help your child remember letter strokes better. It is also much more fun than tedious handwriting strategies and activities.
2. Drawing with sidewalk chalk
Sidewalk chalk is an inexpensive and fun way to get outside in the sun while addressing the motor skills and strength needed for handwriting.
It isn’t even necessary for your child to practice writing with the sidewalk chalk. Coloring and drawing will also work the muscles of the hand, arm, and shoulder needed for controlled handwriting and a mature grasp on writing utensils.
3. Playing outside
Did you know that to achieve fine motor control, you first need to develop strength in the core and shoulders? This is referred to as proximal strength and is a necessary precursor to fine motor control.
No need to have your child perform push-ups and sit-ups to gain this strength. Instead, let them enjoy swinging on monkey bars, climbing trees, running, jumping, throwing, and swimming.
These activities all build important muscles and are an essential part of your child’s summer!
4. Doing arts and crafts
Activities like painting, sculpting, coloring, knitting, or making friendship bracelets help develop fine motor and visual motor skills. They also encourage attention to detail and the ability to follow step-by-step instructions.
Plus, tapping into your child’s creativity is one of the many benefits of art for autistic children.
5. Engaging in fun activities that require just a bit of writing
Writing the letter “a” 10 times or doing worksheets during summer break is no fun. Your child can practice those same skills by writing a letter to Grandma, writing down the grocery list, leaving notes for Dad, or writing a list of their favorite TV shows.
There is no need for your child to complete pages and pages of work. Simply picking up a pencil and writing something on a regular basis will help your child retain handwriting skills while they are away from school.
Summer handwriting practice matters
Your child works so hard during the school year to improve their handwriting skills. I am always so proud of how far my students are able to progress each year.
These simple strategies can help maintain this progress and facilitate an easier transition back to school in the fall.
This article was featured in Issue 125 – Unwrapping ABA Therapy
FAQs
Q: Does autism affect handwriting?
A: Yes, autism can affect handwriting due to challenges with fine motor skills, motor planning, and sensory processing. These difficulties can result in poor letter formation, spacing, and handwriting legibility.
Q: What does autism regression look like?
A: Autism regression typically involves the loss of previously acquired skills, such as language, social interaction, or motor abilities. In handwriting, this may appear as a noticeable decline in writing quality or coordination after a period of progress.
Q: Is bad handwriting linked to neurological issues?
A: Yes, bad handwriting can be linked to neurological issues, including conditions that affect motor control, coordination, or cognitive processing. Disorders like dysgraphia, ADHD, or autism often impact handwriting ability.
References
Rosenblum, S., Ben-Simhon, H. A., Meyer, S., & Gal, E. (2019). Predictors of handwriting performance among children with autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 60, 16-24. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1750946719300108
Handle HC, Feldin M, Pilacinski A. Handwriting in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review. NeuroSci. 2022; 3(4):558-565. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci3040040
Verma, P., Lahiri, U. Deficits in Handwriting of Individuals with Autism: a Review on Identification and Intervention Approaches. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 9, 70–90 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-020-00234-7
Hui Ling Ch’ng, & Aznan Che Ahmad. (2024). Assisting autistic students with handwriting difficulties using a combination of handwriting intervention. Journal of Contemporary Social Science and Education Studies (JOCSSES) E-ISSN- 2785-8774, 1(2), 140–156. Retrieved from https://www.jocss.com/index.php/multidiscipline/article/view/69
