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ENCOURAGE KIDS TO PUT PEN TO PAPER ON NATIONAL HANDWRITING DAY WEDNESDAY 23 JANUARY

Wednesday 23 January is National Handwriting Day and while most of us are used to tapping away on a keyboard, there are still many reasons why we should continue to write with a pen, particularly for school children who need the practise.

"Research shows that forming letters by putting pen to paper stimulates brain circuits to help with memory, attention, motor skills and language in a way that punching a keyboard doesn't," said Mr John Johnston, marketing manager, Pilot Pen Australia.

With the new school year coming up, National Handwriting Day is the perfect time to encourage your children's handwriting practise.  Here's Barbara Nichol, handwriting expert, author and teacher shares her top tips to help guide you:

1.     Grip - teach your child to hold a pen properly using a tripod pen hold – holding the pen between the thumb and index finger and resting the barrel on the middle finger. This helps with correct letter formation and prevents 'over gripping' resulting in fatigue.

2.     Roundy round – teach your child the difference between clockwise and anti-clockwise by encouraging them to draw a circle.  As most letters are formed anti-clockwise, this will help them with letter formation.

3.     Free flow – use writing instruments that have a good free flow of ink so they don't require heavy pressure.  This allows your child to concentrate on the letter formation rather than pressing hard to get the pen to work.

4.     Line up – make sure you use lined paper or draw the lines yourself, so your child can get into the practice of forming the letters correctly and they learn that each letter has an upper, middle and lower zone.

5.     Pen power - find a pen that your child loves and that will capture their imagination so they enjoy their handwriting practice.  Pilot's Frixion range features erasable ink so children can erase any mistakes which can encourage confidence.  Fountain pens are great fun and have the novelty factor. The Kakuno Fountain Pen has been especially made for children – it has a thick barrel for an easy grip with a smooth flow of ink requiring no pressure.

For more handwriting tips and worksheets, visit: www.pilotpen.com.au

Barbara Nichol is the author of 'Polishing Your Penmanship' available at: www.pensdeluxe.ashop.com.au. To download a free handwriting worksheet and for product information, visit: pilotpenaustralia.com.au.