Handwriting Practice

This website is fabulous for making your own handwriting worksheets. You are able to type directly onto the worksheet as you would like it to appear on the dotted lines. I mostly use it for the children to get practice with writing their names, but you could use it for anything like practicing the letter or word of the day. Most importantly the letters appear as we would teach them and aren't in any fancy fonts that would be hard for preschoolers to distinguish. 

http://tools.atozteacherstuff.com/printable-handwriting-practice-worksheet-maker/

Activities to strengthen the small muscles of the hand and fingers:

1. Using thumb and finger in a pincer grasp to put pennies in a bank.

2. Use a pincer grasp to put buttons in a bottle with a small opening.

3. Screw a jar lid on and off.

4. Wring out the washcloth after use.

5. Squeeze a sponge.

6. Wind a clock.

7. String cheerios onto a string or pipe cleaner.

8. String beads onto a shoelace.

9. Purchase or make sewing cards and have your student complete them.

10. Lace shoes.

11. Tie knots in pieces of string and try undoing the knots.

12. Put nuts and bolts together and then take them apart.

13. Teach child to buckle and unbuckle seat belt.

14. Practice fastening and unfastening buttons, zippers, and snaps.

15. Teach your student how to properly use scissors with the thumb in the small, top hole. 

16. Roll clay into a rope, and cut the clay rope with scissors.

17. Use scissors to fringe the edges, and cut the corners, of paper.

18. Use scissors to cut straight and curved lines.

19. Use scissors to cut pictures out of magazines, catalogs, or cards and make collages on paper or bags.

20. Under adult supervision, use a screwdriver to loosen and tighten screws.

21. Teach your child to snap their fingers.

22. Use tweezers to pick up popcorn kernels or grains of rice and drop into containers.

23. Play with clay; squeeze, roll, press and make simple shapes.

24. Play with Tinker Toys, Legos or other building sets. Begin with the largest size available.

25. Use large geometric stencils and have your student trace around them. 

26. Draw shapes with a highlighter and have student trace over the lines.

27. Teach your student how to work through simple mazes.

Remember to make the activities fun. Work often, but for short periods of time. Praise the work effort, not the product. Quit before the student gets frustrated or angry.