Fun Strokes

By Linda Craig Dennis, OTR/L

Imagine baking a cake without first learning how to properly use measuring cups. Without the precise ingredients, it's highly unlikely your confection will match the photo in the cookbook. It's the same way with handwriting. You can't form the letter "A" correctly without precise diagonal and horizontal lines, yet today's children are often being taught to write letters before ever mastering the prerequisites. Prewriting strokes--lines, circles, and other simple shapes--form the foundation for letters, numbers, and illustrations. If taught to write without this critical foundation, children can develop bad habits, hard-to-read handwriting, and a distaste for writing--all of which can interfere with academic success. Fun Strokes is a readiness program that teaches children prewriting strokes through playful, engaging activities. Children use magnets and drawing exercises to learn how to make simple lines and shapes--all while having fun! It's a unique and entertaining way to equip young children with the crucial fine motor skills to achieve handwriting success in kindergarten and beyond. What makes Fun Strokes Unique? The magnets, which distinguish Fun Strokes from most other prewriting programs, offer a way to practice the fundamental skill of imitating. The adult or child places a magnet on an easel or board; then the adult draws the designated prewriting stroke. The child then attempts to imitate the stroke. The magnets' dry erase surface allows this exercise to be repeated as many times as necessary to achieve the desired result. And working on a vertical surface has many benefits:* Develops strength and stability in the joints and muscles in the arm* Encourages correct wrist position, which facilitates hand stabilization and correct pencil grasp* Builds hand-eye coordination* Builds core strength by engaging the muscles that connect our upper and lower body, which supports good upright posture* Provides sensory input by allowing for movement and the ability to change position while standing or kneeling to work* Develops spatial awareness as directional terms like up, down, and across are easier to understand when they are in relation to their own body* Encourages visual attention because the child is working at eye level, which can be very helpful for children who struggle with looking at what they are doing are essential components of proficient handwriting skills! *FUN STROKES PRE-WRITING MAGNET SET SOLD SEPARATELY

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1087058716
• ISBN13: 9781087058719
• Release Date: April 2020
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 108 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 0.3" x 8.5"