I was stumbling around the internet today looking for great resources for you and found this site that looks really good:

Printables for Preschoolers website

That link goes specifically to the page with handwriting printables. I’d personally stay away from the ones that have too much perfect letter writing and focus on the fun ones like the dot to dots and the mazes. If you can, print them out larger than 8.5×11 to give the kids lots of room to draw the lines and even better, recreate the games and mazes on a whiteboard or a chalkboard so they can do it even bigger. I’m a firm believer in holding off on strict handwriting work for this age.

Other things you can do to encourage handwriting without using strict letter formation worksheets:

** Cornmeal. Pour a thin layer of cornmeal onto a jelly roll pan and let the kids use their index finger to start making various shapes. You can even have them start to copy shapes that you make, etc., and even do some letter making there as well.

** Whiteboard. If you have access to a large whiteboard and non-toxic dry erase markers (the kind that don’t smell – those things are nasty) give the kids free reign to draw and copy, etc.

** Hopscotch. Get out the sidewalk chalk and show your kids how to make a hopscotch course – then throw down the chalk … and HOP!

Now is the time in your little ones life to start with a little bit of shape and letter recognition but too much focus on handwriting and letter formation on paper will be counterproductive in the long run. That can come much later and they’ll be writing really well before you know it!

Another program that’s great for writing is Sing Spell Read and Write. Again, stay away from the work books and use the audios only in these early years. They’ll learn their letter sounds in a fun way and have the base for reading and writing in the future. My kids loved it!