Stories from National Handwriting Day Participants

To celebrate National Handwriting Day 2012, we asked you to share your stories about handwriting activites and experiences in your classroom or home. We would like to extend our thanks to  everyone who celebrated National Handwriting Day with us this year!  We were thrilled to have such enthusiastic response from all over the country. 

Here are a few of the stories you shared:

We'll make a class book of the Animated Alphabet substitution song of "Are you sleeping?" and have the student's focus on neat, legible printing of their name. We'll review Mat Man and have the students do a self-portrait to illustrate their page of the class book.
– Karen B., Kelowna, Canada

In Pre-K we are busy writing our names. We made a book where they had to write their names and draw and tell something about themselves, i.e., Ellie likes to play with her dolls.
– Pam B., Omaha, Nebraska

I'm an occupational therapist, and I'm using your National Handwriting Day paper to have students reflect on why writing is important to them.
– Abby B., Lancaster, California

I bought new pens that are very unique with beautiful and unusual ink colors. Using the Handwriting Without Tears cursive paper, we are spending the day using our very best cursive to write a letter to Mom and Dad, in list format, starting with "Dear Mom and Dad, You have always done so much for me. Thank you. Some of my favorite memories are. . ." and then begins the list of each child's favorite memory. Each memory will be in an alternating color using the new colored ink pens.
– Lucy B., Evanston, Wyoming

I work daily with my students on developing their "pincher" muscle for writing. In celebrating National Handwriting Day my class will be writing their name in the sensory table, on paper, on the smart board and in art fingerpainting. We will compare the differences between each one. We will then graph the class results based on which on was fun, easiest to read and easiest to write.
– Beth C., Florissant, Missouri

Our preschool uses your Pre K Get Set For School program and we love it.  For NHD we asked that parents send their child to school with a special writing tool.  Since we're just getting starting with our letter formation, we thought all different writing instruments would be fun to explore--so they bring in different markers, pens, pencils, chalk, anything they have in their house that writes. We'll also try writing with feathers and an ink well and talk about original writing tools.
– Paige C., West Chester, Pennsylvania

We are discussing why something handwritten might be more memorable than an email. We are writing letters to pen pals from another school in our best handwriting so that their pen pals can read them. We are celebrating an author and decorating our door with our amazing writing!!
– Kim C., Highlands Ranch, Colorado

This will be the first time my classroom has celebrated National Handwriting Day.  My kindergarten students are going to bring in handwriting samples for sharing as well as writing a letter to a special friend.
– Jayleen C., Lynden, Washington

Doing special writing activity with my dysgraphic students making animal characters out of the capital letters we have been working on.  Fun for all of us.
– Janice C., Grayson, Georgia

I shared a handwritten note that I received on my birth (it has been on every Christmas Tree) and a post card from my grandmother that is very old.  Then the students were encouraged to write their own notes to the special people in their lives.  
– Helen C., Panama City, Florida

We will be writing letters to our political representatives and to President Obama on issues that interest and concern my children. We will be studying the great letter writers, people like P.B. Shelley and Thomas Jefferson.
– Jennifer D., Maple Valley, Washington

For National Handwriting Day our parent support group has been working hard on our fundraiser to help purchase handwriting without tears supplies for our children. The children made their own artwork and quotes that they wrote with handwriting without tears crayons, pencils and paper. They have been turned into coffee mugs, mouse pads, stationary, etc. The response has been astounding, and people are really excited about learning about the Handwriting Without Tears Program.
– Megan D., South Bend, Indiana

This will be our first year celebrating in our preschool class! We are going to have a letter hunt, build letters and bake pretzels in letter shapes. We'll also have each child draw, cut color and collage the first letter of their name. Our special helping guest will be Mat Man!!  So cute...I'm glad I learned that this fun National Day is coming!
– Nancy F., Stamford, Connecticut

On January 23rd, I'll be working with my OT kids in the early childhood room. I plan to use the Handwriting without Tears Roll-a-Dough and capital letters to have some fun with learning the letters to their names! The kids have been real receptive to using playdough so far to roll and press into the letters. Now it's time to start working on starting the letters at the top!
– Lynn F., Verona, Wisconsin

I've been teaching my pre-k'ers how to write... They've all been super excited to see their names written... Plus Mat Man has been going around leaving letters everywhere for the students to find and piece together their names in the correct order.
– April H., Havelock, North Carolina

My occupational therapy students used the National Handwriting Day stationery to write that we are celebrating National Handwriting Day and why they like handwriting. Some also used the HWT "Thank you" paper to write thank you letters to parents or peers.
– Mary H., Arco, Idaho

Working with my twins on improving the lower case letters by preparing Valentine's Day cards for classmates and teacher.
– Brigitte M., Miami, Florida