handwriting in kindergarten, wipe off book or paper book?

[kiloyd]

I already have a couple wipe off handwriting books. You know, for dry erase markers. Will that be enough or is A Reason For Handwriting better?

I think my wipe off books might just be the alphabet. DD already writes all uppercase letters when she writes us invitations to the royal ball. She asks me how to spell as she writes.

[jenntracy]

All i ever used was $1 book from dollar tree for each of my kids. one was princess the other spiderman. each page had a upper and lowercase letters and one word to trace and practice writing on own . they love it! My son i had do extra copywork now and then from different things (like a few sentences from a book we were reading,etc) but for my daughter it is quite enough so far this year. I also have some wipe off books if they want to do them.
I'd say you are good, in my opinion.

Jenn D

[Motherjoy]

Both!

The wipe-off books are easier, there isn't as much friction, so the children can manipulate the markers a bit easier than a pencil. We use both, the wipe-off board for initial practice on how to make letters and the worksheets when they have more dexterity. This year I bought everyone his own personal wipe-off board. They have been very useful, even with the older one.

[my3sons]

Wipe-off books can be a good extra to have, but for handwriting instruction, I do think it is important to use a handwriting workbook. Writing with a pencil on paper is very different from writing with a marker on a wipe-off book, and having the strokes progressively taught goes a long way for teaching dc proper manuscript. Since writing progressively moves front and center for the subsequent years of learning, one year at least of formal manuscript instruction makes more of an easy go of it for years to come.

In Christ,
Julie

[mommadonna]

This might be a bit off topic, but I bought dry erase crayons for my kids to use on the boards. They offer a bit more friction than the markers and no more searching for the lids. They are also washable! We love them around here.

[kiloyd]

This might be a bit off topic, but I bought dry erase crayons for my kids to use on the boards. They offer a bit more friction than the markers and no more searching for the lids. They are also washable! We love them around here.

Thanks for that tip! Are they any harder to wipe off though?

[Carrie]

Katherine,

No matter whether you use one of our handwriting programs, or a different handwriting program, it is essential that your little sweetie practice handwriting on paper with a pencil. This requires much more fine motor coordination and dexterity than is required to write with a marker. Much of this has to do with the fact that it takes more muscle control in the fingers to grip a pencil and to manipulate a fine point like a pencil has, rather than gripping a marker and controlling a wider tip like a marker has. Also, writing on paper has a much different feel than writing on a smoothly gliding wipe-off surface. A pencil does not glide the way a marker does on a wipe-off surface. One last thing that is hard for kiddos is to learn how much pressure to put on a pencil without breaking its tip when writing. This is another skill that takes practice and coordination and cannot be gained with a marker and a wipe-off page. Anyway, I hope that helps!

While you can easily use wipe-off books for extra practice, it is a lower level skill. So, you'll want to be sure to use paper and pencil for the crux of the handwriting instruction.

Blessings,
Carrie