21 Activities for Children with Special Needs to Improve Handwriting

All children develop differently, and some have more trouble with writing than others. It’s important to know that handwriting is not in any way related to your child’s intelligence or understanding. However, handwriting is important and is one way teachers evaluate your child’s development and learning. Most writing can be improved by working on the foundational skills that are required for good penmanship.

Medical problems, learning disabilities, and sensory processing disorders (sensory over-responsiveness, sensory seeking and sensory-based motor disorders) can also interfere with writing. Kids who have attention deficit disorder (ADD or ADHD) find it hard to sit still and focus on writing activities. Practice, which is often the answer for many children, doesn't always work in these situations, so using a multi-sensory approach and building hand strength and muscle coordination is the preferred method.