Another easy way to make a handwriting spacing tool involves materials you have around the home, like buttons. The main thing to address with a handwriting spacing tool is a spatial awareness and using a craft that kids can make adds meaning and motivation to work on spacing between letters and words.
When kids learn to write, it can be difficult to work on all of the parts of handwriting. There is holding the pencil, and using muscles to maintain a grasp while writing sentences. Then there is letter formation. Putting it all together can be challenging.
In Kindergarten, children really work on letter formation, and especially lower case letter formation. When you throw in the lines and spacing to writing, it can be a real frustration for a new writer! That’s where using a fun spacing tool comes into play. It allows for appropriate spatial awareness in handwriting is accurately spacing letters within words and spacing words correctly within a sentence.
For another spacing tool idea, try this easy (and inexpensive!) way to create a Spacing tool using buttons. This spacing tool can be used in handwriting tasks, as a tool for spacing between letters and words.
How to make a spacing tool with buttons
Spacing between words and letters can be easy with this button spacing tool. It’s easy to make and can be created using items you already have. The cost of this activity should be very inexpensive, especially if you use items you already have.
To make spacing tool you’ll need just a couple of items: (This post contains Amazon affiliate links.)
We used a colored craft stick and brightly colored button that we received from www.craftprojectideas, but you could use any material you have in your home. Have a bin of beads or crafting pom poms in your craft supplies? Use beads instead of buttons. Other ideas include craft pom poms or pipe cleaners.
First, glue one button to the end of a popsicle stick or even a pipe cleaner.
Then, use the spacing tool while your child is writing words and sentences. Show them how to place the button spacing tool between words and sideways between letters.
This post is part of our 31 Days of Occupational Therapy where I’m sharing tips and tools for many developmental areas using free or inexpensive materials. For more spatial relations related to handwriting, check out our Visual Tracking activities.