Written by: Mr. Cheng Wei-qiang, Psychologist and Counselor at the Infant and Toddler Psychological Development Association
“His handwriting never stays on the line; it always ‘flies’ off!”
“His writing can’t stay within the boxes; usually, one character spans two boxes!”
“He often jumps lines or skips boxes when writing!”
“When he writes, it seems like he doesn’t have enough strength; his strokes are so faint they’re almost invisible!”
These are common scenarios many children face when learning to write in K2 (second year of kindergarten). Writing requires the coordination of many skills. The simplest is the strength and dexterity of the small finger muscles (fine motor skills). If fine motor training is insufficient, children may struggle with writing or holding a pen properly. How can parents handle and train these skills? It’s quite simple—encourage them to play with clay, playdough, flour, and similar materials from a young age.
Next, visual-spatial skills and eye control are also important for copying text. Ball activities are excellent training exercises—tracking the ball visually and then hitting or kicking it provides natural and fun practice. Additionally, games like “Find the Difference” (spotting differences between two images) and maze puzzles (finding the way with the eyes first, then connecting points with a pencil) help improve eye control.
In copying practice, hand-eye coordination is also crucial! Activities like tossing and catching bean bags, fishing games, pouring water, and paper-cutting are highly beneficial for developing coordination.
When should these activities start? How long should daily practice last? Actually, once children are able to understand and enjoy these games, parents can begin playing with them. It’s important that parents follow the child’s willingness—when the child doesn’t want to play, switch to a different game rather than forcing a certain duration. My philosophy is that through daily play, children can develop certain skills and prevent problems from arising, rather than relying on remedial drills. Otherwise, even the most enjoyable games can become boring and less fun—more of a chore than a pleasure!
