https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 05:52:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2502195 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 17:03:25 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2502195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD is nowhere near this point yet, but every young kid in my life has written letters upside down and backwards when they first start learning to write. So I think that is totally normal! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501954 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 14:13:14 +0000 erinpye 2501954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Early writers and readers kind of do it their own way. My DDs write their own way, and it hasn't worried me yet- my oldest is almost 4 and still doesn't hold her pencil or pen correctly most of the time, or write letters with the correct stroke order. I figure she'll learn that in pre-k or K. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501932 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 13:54:06 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 2501932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's awesome she wants to write! You should definitely keep encouraging it! I teach preschool and, unfortunately, yes she can teach herself bad habits this young. I'd say the most important things are grip and top to bottom. Letters that are backward or upside down are typical &amp; don't really need to be corrected until she's older. Some things that help with grip are: picking up small objects with index/middle fingers &amp; thumb or tongs; threading or lacing objects with string; puzzles with knobs to hold using a good grip, etc. To help with top to bottom, you can get cute lined paper that has a sun at the top (although it can be hard to use lines at that age) or just put a sticker or something at the top of the page as a reminder.<br /> They make fun dry erase books for "pre-writing" line &amp; shape tracing. Those are lots of fun and re-enforce grip and directionality. <a href="http://www.k12schoolsupplies.net/mobile/product.aspx?ProductCode=KE%2D846034&#038;gclid=Cj0KEQjwt763BRDZx_Xg3-Pv2cABEiQAoDfeGJpE2lLTRYcmzbyZRA3ihs9hid9d22GR1yy36ITHIQIaAvfh8P8HAQ&#038;click=9&#038;utm_source=google&#038;utm_medium=cpc&#038;utm_campaign=Performers" rel="nofollow">http://www.k12schoolsupplies.net/mobile/product.aspx?ProductCode=KE%2D846034&#038;gclid=Cj0KEQjwt763BRDZx_Xg3-Pv2cABEiQAoDfeGJpE2lLTRYcmzbyZRA3ihs9hid9d22GR1yy36ITHIQIaAvfh8P8HAQ&#038;click=9&#038;utm_source=google&#038;utm_medium=cpc&#038;utm_campaign=Performers</a></p> <p>My Pinterest isn't working right now but when it is, I'll come back with a link that shows all the different varieties of "correct" grip :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501847 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 13:08:18 +0000 MrsSRS 2501847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Handwriting Without Tears has good resources. I teach grade school. It isn't awesome to have to break bad handwriting habits, but it also isn't that hard if the teacher is paying attention. I would say correct the errors if LO was 4, but at 2, probably not.<br /> ETA: I would model correct pencil grip and talk about it and correct gently, but not too aggressively at this age unless LO is always, always holding a pencil the same way and it is totally weird. Little kids tend to try different grips. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501742 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 11:51:52 +0000 hummusgirl 2501742@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know the right answer, but my husband writes some of his letters the wrong way, and his handwriting is atrocious! It may be worth stepping in early to avoid that (though he is gainfully employed and we all just use keyboards nowadays so maybe it's not such a big deal) :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501741 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 11:51:20 +0000 Anagram 2501741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: I just found this, randomly. Some good info here about lefties. <a href="http://mamaot.com/tips-for-teaching-lefties-to-write/" rel="nofollow">http://mamaot.com/tips-for-teaching-lefties-to-write/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501732 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 11:48:37 +0000 DesertDreams88 2501732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a former 5th grade teacher, I have noticed that the students with the worst handwriting tend to be the ones that use unusual order for the strokes. Going from the bottom up, breaking the letter into more parts than necessary, etc, usually results in less fine motor control and thus sloppier letters. There's simply less control over the pencil. I am not an early childhood expert by any means, but I would think that since he is showing to a true interest, I would encourage him, praise him for his efforts, but gently guide him in the correct order and direction of strokes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501728 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 11:47:45 +0000 brownepiano 2501728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not an early child expert, but I am left handed. I just wanted to say it will probably take a while but please keep trying to teach her the correct way to write and hold a pencil. I know way too many lefties who can barely write properly as adults. I somehow learned how to write properly (top down letters and not with my wrist bent awkwardly) and I am very thankful! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501714 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 11:40:38 +0000 mediagirl 2501714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>MY LO is a righty and does this, as well. I noticed a few of the other kids in her class do it, as well. I think it's just part of the learning process. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501707 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 11:38:25 +0000 Anagram 2501707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: That's a good idea. I just don't want to make writing boring and I don't know if tracing books would be boring?</p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: yeah, so LO wrote her name again over the weekend and I recorded it and was cheering...even though she wrote the Y completely upside down. And then later, I thought....with the amount of "Oh my gosh, look you wrote your name!" I was doing, she has no idea that the Y is wrong. And I noticed her 3-4 more times that day writing it upside down. SO I guess I have to figure out my tactic--start correcting/showing her how to do it correctly, or just let her do her thing and hope she's adaptable alter when we try to teach her.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501617 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 10:50:18 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2501617@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good question. So far I haven't been worried about it and some things have been correcting themselves. </p> <p>For example, her lowercase "e" is really a vertical line, then the loop for the top and then a hook for the bottom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501616 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 10:50:00 +0000 avivoca 2501616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not sure...I also have a lefty and both of us are righties. Could you get her a tracing book or dry erase booklet (I just saw one at Half Price Books) that maybe says something about stroke order? You could also try writing with your left hand, even though it will look wonky. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501613 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 10:49:08 +0000 looch 2501613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am interested in this as well...sometimes my son will make letters from the bottom up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stroke-order-for-beginning-writers-important-for-a-toddler#post-2501606 Mon, 21 Mar 2016 10:46:59 +0000 Anagram 2501606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 2.5 year old (well, she will be 3 in July) started writing all her letters/numbers a few weeks back. She's been able to identify/recognize them visually for a long time and recently started putting together certain high-usage words in our house like her name, the baby's name, "mama", "dada", etc--as in, she can spell them out loud.</p> <p>So at first when she started writing letters and numbers, I wasn't too surprised because it seems like a natural next step--but also, I haven't ever sat down and taught her how to write letters and numbers because of her age. But now she's really getting in to it and spent much of the last weekend writing her name, writing Dada, writing mama, etc.</p> <p>But she writes her letters wrong--not in the proper stroke order, not "top to bottom", and sometimes all over the place like backwards or upside down. I just think it's cute that she's making these connections and trying, but now I'm wondering--should I be showing her how to write them properly, since she's already interested? I mean, is there a risk that she will teach herself how to do all these the wrong way and then will be in a habit of writing them all wrong later?</p> <p>Also, she's a lefty and both my husband and I are righties--are their special things/ways to teach a lefty? Because often, I find when she asks ME to write a word so she can copy, she gets confused because she watches me do it right handed. So then she tries to do it right handed and can't.</p> <p>Any tips? Or what should I do next? I don't want her to have an interest and not stimulate it, or let bad habits form. And early child development experts that can weigh in? </p>