Homeschool Handwriting Curriculum: Best Print & Cursive Resources for Kids

Are you looking for a homeschool handwriting curriculum to help your child learn to print or write in cursive? Whether you’re teaching a kindergartener how to hold a pencil, helping your child improve their penmanship, or guiding a teen who still struggles with handwriting, you’re in the right place.

In this article, you’ll find everything you need to teach handwriting at home—including curriculum reviews, handwriting paper guides, and practical tips for teaching both print and cursive. You’ll even discover fun handwriting tools that can make homeschool handwriting practice feel more like play than work.

Whether you’re searching for the right handwriting curriculum or simply want to strengthen your child’s skills, this guide will help you support your child’s growth and confidence—one letter at a time.

Homeschool Handwriting Curriculum & Workbooks

Are you looking for the best homeschool handwriting curriculum to help your kids learn to print or write in cursive? Whether your child is a beginner or needs help improving their penmanship, this guide is packed with resources for every stage.

In this article, you’ll discover:

• Why handwriting is still important in the digital age
• Definitions and proper spelling of handwrite, handwriting, handwritten, penmanship, print, and cursive
• Information and a brief history of handwriting methods, including Spencerian, Palmer, and D’Nealian styles
• Popular curriculum options like Handwriting Without Tears and Zaner-Bloser Workbooks
• Books about handwriting and workbooks to learn print and cursive writing
• Handwriting practice paper for kindergarteners to teens
• Helpful handwriting tools, like self-inking stamps that make handwriting lines
• Toys that make drawing and writing fun

Whether you’re teaching a preschooler to draw shapes or helping a teen refine cursive, you’ll find curriculum, tools, and ideas to support your homeschool handwriting journey.

✋ Handwriting Help from an Occupational Therapist

If your child is struggling with handwriting—or if you just want practical ideas to make writing easier and more fun—this section is for you.

Polly Benson is a seasoned occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience helping kids develop the fine motor skills necessary for handwriting. In addition to working in school systems across the country, Polly is the inventor of the LegiLiner, a rolling stamp that creates handwriting lines, number lines, math frames, and more—saving time and making practice fun.

In our interview, Polly shares actionable strategies for improving handwriting, from pencil grip corrections to creative play-based activities using everyday items like dice, tongs, and tennis balls.

💡 Some of the most helpful takeaways from Polly Benson’s interview include:

• Early correction matters: Teach correct pencil grip as soon as kids begin scribbling.
• Strength comes from play: Use fun activities like wringing washcloths, rolling dice, and feeding a “tennis ball buddy” to build hand muscles.
• Incorporate fine motor skills everywhere: Peeling stickers, scooping snacks, and wringing out sponges are all opportunities to develop writing skills.
• Make it multisensory: Use tongs, pipe cleaners, hole punchers, and colanders to strengthen the palmar arch and develop control.
• Use tools like the LegiLiner: These quick-draw stamps make it easier to teach spacing, sizing, and alignment—especially for struggling students.

Want 50+ cheap and easy ways to help your child improve their handwriting? Get the full list of Dollar Store finds and handwriting tools—free!

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🎥 Watch This Interview About Handwriting with OT Polly Benson

📌 Want to hear directly from an OT with decades of experience? Watch this expert interview to get even more insight into helping your child with handwriting.

Handwriting Ideas from an Occupational Therapist!

Looking for fun and effective ways to help your child improve their handwriting skills?

🎯 Occupational therapist Polly Benson shares dozens of ideas that you can use at home to strengthen your child’s pencil grip, hand coordination, and letter formation—without a worksheet in sight!

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✍️ Is Handwriting Important?

In an age when children play with cell phones before picking up pencils, you might wonder if kids will need to be able to print or write in cursive once they become adults.

At HomeSchool ThinkTank, we believe handwriting—both print and cursive—is an essential skill for kids to learn. While many public schools have reduced or removed cursive from their curriculum, homeschoolers have the freedom to teach this valuable life skill with purpose and consistency.

Here’s why both print and cursive handwriting lessons deserve a place in your homeschool:

🧠 It Builds the Brain

Writing by hand strengthens fine motor skills, activates multiple areas of the brain, and improves neural development. In fact, different parts of the brain are engaged when children type, print, or write in cursive.

📚 It Supports Reading & Learning

Learning to form letters by hand helps children recognize them more easily, which supports early literacy. Cursive, in particular, has been linked to higher levels of cognitive processing, reasoning, and memory recall.

📝 It Encourages Creativity & Expression

Handwriting is more than a practical skill—it’s a form of self-expression. Whether kids are journaling, drawing, or writing stories, putting pen to paper helps them organize thoughts and communicate ideas more deeply.

🕰️ It’s Efficient & Essential

Cursive writing is faster than printing, which makes it useful for note-taking and timed assignments. And while many public schools have reduced or eliminated cursive instruction, homeschoolers can preserve this lifelong skill.

🏛️ It Connects Kids to the Past

Children who learn to write in cursive can also read cursive—an ability that’s necessary for understanding historical documents and handwritten letters. Teaching cursive helps kids connect with culture, history, and tradition.

✍️ And It’s Still Required

At some point, every adult must sign documents—from legal papers to job applications. Knowing how to write a signature remains an essential life skill.

Whether you’re just getting started or reinforcing writing skills, teaching handwriting in your homeschool matters more than ever.

🎓 Expert Insight on Handwriting

Jake Weidmann—one of only 12 Master Penmen in the world—explains how cursive writing supports historic literacy, intellectual literacy, and creative literacy.
📺 Watch his TEDx Talk on Why Handwriting Matters

✍️ What Is Penmanship?

Penmanship (noun):

• The art or practice of writing with a pen
• A person’s quality or style of handwriting

Penmanship encompasses both print and cursive skills and reflects a person’s ability to write legibly, fluently, and beautifully.

🖋️ Handwriting vs. Typing: Which Is Better for Memory?

Still debating whether to focus on handwriting or let your child type? Research shows that handwriting—especially cursive—helps children retain information more effectively.

When kids write by hand, they must process, summarize, and organize information in real-time, which enhances memory and comprehension.

📺 Watch this video about handwriting vs. typing and why it matters.

✍️ Handwriting, Hand-Writing, or Hand Written? Clarifying the Spelling

Wondering how to spell handwriting-related terms correctly? You’re not alone. These variations can be confusing, but here’s what you need to know.

• Handwriting – ✅ Correct (one word, no hyphen)
• Hand-written – ❌ Outdated (now considered one word)
• Hand written – ❌ Incorrect (should be combined)

Similarly, when using the verb form:

• Handwrite – ✅ Correct
• Hand-write – ❌ Hyphen not needed
• Hand write – ❌ Incorrect as two words

📌 While “hand-writing” was once considered proper, modern usage favors the single word: handwriting. The same goes for “handwrite” and “handwritten.”

📖 The Definition of Handwriting

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the meaning of handwriting in the following way:

1. Writing done by hand especially: the form of writing peculiar to a particular person.
2. Something written by hand.

Handwriting is both a skill and an art form—one that continues to matter, even in the digital age.

✒️ The Definition of Cursive

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the meaning of cursive as follows:

Cursive (adjective):

• Of writing : flowing often with the strokes of successive characters joined and the angles rounded.
• Having a flowing, easy, impromptu character.

Cursive (noun):

• A manuscript written in cursive writing. also: cursive writing.
• A style of printed letter resembling handwriting.

Cursive writing connects letters in a fluid style, helping children write more quickly and naturally once mastered.

🔠 The Definition of Print

Print (verb):

• To write letters shaped like standard Roman text (not joined together)

Print writing is what children typically learn first. It lays the foundation for proper letter formation before progressing to cursive.

🆚 Printing vs. Cursive Handwriting: Should You Teach Both?

Yes! Both are important.

• Print is generally taught in early grades—kids learn uppercase and lowercase letters with clear separation.
• Cursive is often introduced around the 2nd or 3rd grade to help kids write more fluidly and efficiently.

🕒 How much time should be dedicated to handwriting?
Historically, schools taught handwriting for 45 minutes a day. Today, cursive might not be taught at all. As a homeschooler, you can choose to prioritize this essential skill.

👉 Most kids benefit from 10 to 30 minutes of focused handwriting practice, several days a week. Consistency helps build muscle memory, coordination, and confidence.

✍️ A Brief History of Handwriting: Different Styles of Print and Cursive Handwriting

Handwriting has evolved significantly over the last two centuries. While today’s students may learn print or cursive using modern methods like Zaner-Bloser or D’Nealian, these techniques have deep historical roots.

Below is a quick look at the most well-known handwriting styles and how they shaped the way we write today.

🖋️ Spencerian Script

Developed by Platt Rogers Spencer, this detailed and elegant cursive style was widely taught in schools between 1850 and 1925. Spencerian Script emphasized beauty and grace, making it the standard for business and personal correspondence—until the Great Depression of 1929 shifted priorities toward efficiency.

✍️ Palmer Method of Handwriting

Introduced around 1888 by Austin Norman Palmer, this method simplified cursive to support faster, more practical writing. The Palmer Method gained popularity during the Second Industrial Revolution, when efficiency became key—especially with the rise of the typewriter.

📘 Zaner-Bloser Method of Handwriting

Created by Charles Paxton Zaner and later co-developed with Elmer Ward Bloser, this method was designed for school use and became one of the most widely adopted handwriting curricula in the U.S. The Zaner-Bloser Company, founded in the 1890s, still publishes handwriting materials used by many homeschoolers and classrooms today. Around this time, Zaner-Bloser began producing and distributing handwriting instruction materials that would go on to influence handwriting education for generations of students.

📝 D’Nealian Method of Handwriting

Designed by Donald Neal Thurber, a public school teacher, the D’Nealian Method aimed to make the transition from print to cursive smoother. This style uses slight slants and “tails” on printed letters, preparing students for cursive writing without a dramatic shift in letter formation. It gained popularity in the 1970s and ’80s and is still used in some schools.

🎥 Watch videos about the history of handwriting.

✍️ Handwriting Curriculum Consistency: A Professor’s Perspective

In this interview with Dr. Clara Carroll, Associate Dean and Professor of Education at Harding University (Searcy, Arkansas), she emphasized that print, cursive, and keyboarding are all essential skills for students to learn. Each plays an important role in a child’s overall development and ability to communicate effectively.

While there are many effective methods to choose from, switching between handwriting programs can be confusing for students. Each curriculum teaches letter formation and progression a little differently, which can disrupt a child’s learning flow.

Her advice?
Choose a solid handwriting curriculum that works for your child—and stick with it. Ultimately, mastering the ability to print and write in cursive is far more important than the specific system you choose.

🎥 Watch: Print vs Cursive

🧾 Best Handwriting Curriculum & Workbooks for Homeschooled Students

Looking for the best homeschool handwriting curriculum for your child? Whether you’re teaching a kindergartener to print, helping a middle schooler improve their penmanship, or guiding a high schooler through cursive, this section offers time-tested options to support learners at every stage.

Each of the handwriting programs listed below includes print and cursive instruction. While there’s no single “right” method, we recommend choosing one curriculum and sticking with it for consistency—especially if your child is just getting started.

✍️ Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Curriculum

If you want a straightforward, affordable handwriting program, Zaner-Bloser is a solid choice. This curriculum has been widely used in classrooms for over a century and is known for its clear, grade-level progression.

• Available in English and Spanish
• Typically no teacher’s manual required
• Book levels generally correspond with grade levels
• Widely used and effective
• Easy to follow and implement at home

📺 Watch the video review here.
🛒 Purchase directly from Zaner-Bloser
🛍️ Find Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Curriculum on Amazon

If you’re looking for a no-fuss, straightforward approach to teaching handwriting, Zaner-Bloser is a reliable choice. Its clear progression and ease of use make it a great fit for parents who want a structured, time-tested method that aligns well with traditional school expectations.

✍️ D’Nealian Method of Handwriting

The D’Nealian Method was developed by public school teacher Donald Neal Thurber. This approach adds gentle “tails” and slants to printed letters, helping students transition smoothly into cursive.

• Designed to bridge the gap between print and cursive
• Used in many schools during the 1970s–1980s
• Still a popular method for homeschool families

📺 Watch the video review here.
🛒 Purchase D’Nealian Handwriting Workbooks on Amazon
🛍️ D’Nealian Handwriting Workbooks by Scott Foresman on Amazon.

Some children struggle with the jump from print to cursive—but D’Nealian smooths that transition. With slanted letters and subtle “tails,” this method bridges the gap in a way that feels natural for many kids, especially those who resist abrupt shifts in writing style.

✍️ Handwriting Without Tears Curriculum

(Published by Learning Without Tears)

This multi-sensory handwriting curriculum is especially helpful for kinesthetic learners and students who struggle with traditional writing methods. The program includes workbooks, music, manipulatives, and hands-on activities to help children develop handwriting fluency.

• Great for tactile, visual, and active learners
• Offers developmentally appropriate materials by grade
• Emphasizes proper pencil grip and letter formation through play
• Utilizes both workbooks and manipulatives.

📺 Watch the video review here.
🛒 Buy directly from Learning Without Tears
🛍️ Buy Handwriting Without Tears workbooks on Amazon.
📦Get Handwriting Without Tears manipulatives on Amazon.

Kinesthetic learners thrive when they can move, touch, and manipulate objects. If your child learns best through doing, this curriculum is worth serious consideration.

🎧 Follow the HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast

Want even more homeschooling help? Tune into the HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast! Each week, we share encouragement and practical strategies to help you confidently homeschool your kids.

Follow the HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast to stay inspired and keep learning about homeschooling, parenting, and education.

✨ Popular Podcast Episodes About Handwriting

Whether you’re teaching a preschooler to print or helping a teen fine-tune their cursive, these podcast episodes will give you fresh ideas and expert insight—right from your favorite podcast app.

📝 Fun Handwriting Practice for Kids: Ideas for Toddlers to Teens
Discover creative handwriting activities that feel more like play than schoolwork. This episode shares fun and effective ways to help your child—at any age—develop strong writing skills without the battle.

✍️ Why Handwriting Is Important
In a world dominated by screens, does handwriting still matter? Yes—and here’s why. Learn how both print and cursive support brain development, creativity, and long-term learning.

✒️ Fun & Effective Handwriting Tips from an Occupational Therapist: Polly Benson
Struggling to help your child with handwriting? In this expert interview, OT Polly Benson shares simple strategies to improve grip, coordination, and confidence using everyday items (even Dollar Store finds!). Plus, hear how her LegiLiner stamp tool is making handwriting easier and more fun for kids everywhere.

Handwriting Homeschool Curriculum, Workbooks, and Books (on Amazon)

Strong handwriting skills support reading, communication, critical thinking, and self-expression. If you want to dive deeper into the value of handwriting—or improve your own—explore the books below for added insight and practical guidance.

📚 Books About Handwriting for Adults

These books explore the history, importance, and personal impact of handwriting. These are not handwriting books, but they are books about handwriting.

• The History and Uncertain Future of Handwriting by Anne Trubek.
• Reading Early American Handwriting by Kip Sperry.
• Your Handwriting Can Change Your Life by Vilmala Rodgers.

✍️ Handwriting Improvement Practice Books

If you didn’t learn cursive in school, you aren’t alone. Many of today’s parents weren’t taught how to write in cursive. However, it’s never too late to learn how to print or write cursive.

Whether you want to improve your own penmanship or learn cursive for the first time, these workbooks can help.

Handwriting Books for Adults & Teens

• The Art of Cursive Penmanship: A Personal Handwriting Program for Adults by Michael R. Sull.
• Cursive Handwriting Workbook for Adults: Learn to write in Cursive, Improve your writing skills & practice penmanship for adults (Master Print and Cursive Writing Penmanship for Adults) by Sujatha Lalgudi.
• Print and Cursive Handwriting Workbook: 35 Lessons to Improve Your Penmanship by Sally Sanders.
• Print Handwriting Workbook for Adults: Improve your printing handwriting & practice print penmanship workbook for adults (Master Print and Cursive Writing Penmanship for Adults) by Sujatha Lalgudi.
• Spencerian Handwriting: The Complete Collection of Theory and Practical Workbooks for Perfect Cursive and Hand Lettering by Platts Roger Spencer.

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📝 Handwriting Practice Sheets & Paper

The type of paper your child uses while learning to write matters more than you might think. Handwriting paper provides essential visual guides that help children form letters correctly, maintain consistent sizing, and build muscle memory through repetition.

When kids are just starting, wide lines and visual markers like a red baseline, broken midline, and descender space help guide letter formation. As they become more confident writers, students can gradually progress to paper with narrower ruling and fewer visual cues—eventually using standard wide-ruled or college-ruled paper.

📄 Handwriting Paper Guide by Grade

While handwriting paper is often labeled by grade level, it’s more important that your child progresses sequentially rather than strictly according to age or grade.

• Pre-K and Kindergarten: Horizontal Handwriting Paper.
  • 1 ⅛” ruling.
  • Red baseline, broken midline, descender space.

• Kindergarten: Horizontal Handwriting Paper.
  • ¾” ruling.
  • Red baseline, broken midline, descender space.

• First Grade: Horizontal Handwriting Paper.
  • ⅝” ruling.
  • Red baseline, broken midline, descender space.

• Second Grade: Horizontal Handwriting Paper
  • ½” ruling.
  • Red baseline, broken midline, descender space.

• Second Grade: Vertical Handwriting Paper.
  • ½” ruling.
  • Red baseline, broken midline, descender space.

• Third Grade: Vertical Handwriting Paper.
  • ⅜” ruling.
  • Red baseline, broken midline, descender space.

• Fourth Grade: Vertical Handwriting Paper.
  • ⅜” ruling.
  • Blue baseline, broken midline, descender space.

• Fifth Grade and Sixth Grade: Vertical Composition Paper.
  • ⅜” ruling.

• Middle and High School Students
  • Wide Ruled Paper: 1/2″ ruling.
  • College Ruled Paper: 9/32″ ruling.

In summary, most young children begin with learning to print, while older elementary students start writing in cursive. The transition from handwriting paper with visual supports to standard notebook paper should be gradual.

Start with paper that includes a blue topline, broken midline, red baseline, and space below for descenders. As your child’s skills improve, transition to wide-ruled and then college-ruled paper to support fluent, legible writing.

🖊️ Create Handwriting Lines Anywhere with LegiLiner Stamps!

Invented by occupational therapist Polly Benson, the LegiLiner is a rolling stamp that instantly creates handwriting lines—no ruler or pre-printed paper required.

Here’s how you can use LegiLiner stamps at home:

• Create handwriting lines on any piece of paper
• Use them for art projects or scrapbooking
• Make number lines, math boxes, and bar graphs
• Draw roads for toy cars
• Stamp music staff lines for instrument practice
• Add structure to homemade games

✨ The best part? LegiLiner offers a variety of stamp options to fit your needs—whether you’re teaching letter formation, math concepts, or fine motor control. It’s a favorite tool for homeschoolers, therapists, and teachers alike.

📏 With one quick roll, you can stamp:

• Spacing guides, music staff lines, and more
• Handwriting lines with baselines and midlines
• Number lines, ten frames, and graphing grids

🛍️ Purchase LegiLiner Stamps on Amazon – Grab your own set of these handy handwriting tools for quick and easy practice at home.

✏️ Get Polly’s Handwriting Lessons Here – Learn directly from an experienced occupational therapist and creator of LegiLiner.

🔎 Explore All LegiLiner Stamps & Lessons – Discover the full collection of stamp styles and educational resources available at LegiLiner.

🎥 Watch our interview with Polly Benson – Learn how LegiLiner helps make handwriting easier and more fun.

Tools & Toys to Support Better Handwriting

Helping kids develop strong handwriting skills isn’t just about workbooks—it’s about giving them the right tools and opportunities to build fine motor strength, proper grip, and writing confidence. Below, you’ll find two curated lists of handwriting-friendly tools and toys that can make writing practice more effective and enjoyable.

Some of these items are perfect for play-based learning, while others are designed specifically to support grip or writing mechanics. Use them during handwriting practice or integrate them into everyday activities for fun, low-pressure skill-building.

Helpful Pencil Grips and Handwriting Tools

These tools can support better pencil grip, control, and fine motor development. They’re especially helpful for kids who struggle with handwriting.

• Standard pencil grips – Encourage proper finger placement and reduce hand fatigue.
• Training pencil grips – Ergonomically designed with finger guides to help beginners build muscle memory.
• Crossover grips – Prevent fingers from crossing over and support consistent finger positioning.
• Claw grips – Flexible aids that guide fingers into a tripod grasp without much effort.
• Pencil weights – Provide stability and support for kids with low muscle tone or coordination difficulties.
• Short “training” pencils – Ideal for small hands and reinforce correct grip naturally.
• Hand strengthening putty – Builds hand muscles used in writing and improves grip endurance.
• Pencil toppers with texture – Offer sensory input for kids who fidget or need extra stimulation to focus.
• Slant boards – Angle the writing surface to support better wrist position and alignment while writing.

These tools can be especially helpful for young children, kinesthetic learners, or kids who struggle with handwriting. They’re simple, affordable, and often recommended by occupational therapists and educators alike.

✏️ Toys to Support Handwriting Practice

If you’re looking for engaging ways to encourage writing beyond traditional worksheets, you’ll love the next list. These items offer playful practice that builds the same foundational skills—but in ways kids genuinely enjoy.

• MagnaDoodle – Great for building motor memory without the mess. Kids love “erasing” and starting over.
• AquaDoodle Mat – A water-based drawing surface that keeps practice fun (and your walls clean).
• LCD Writing Tablets – Kids can write or draw with a stylus—and some sync with phones or computers.
• Etch A Sketch – Boosts coordination and fine motor control in a screen-free format.
• Busy Books / Quiet Books – Soft, interactive books with buttons, zippers, and flaps to build dexterity.

Have Fun with Writing: Chalkboards, Dry Erase Boards, Journals, and More

Help your child fall in love with handwriting by using tools that turn practice into play. From erasable boards to personal journals, these resources make writing feel engaging, flexible, and fun—perfect for homeschoolers of all ages.

• Dry Erase Boards – Reusable and perfect for practicing names, letters, or quick sketches.
• Tracing Boards & Flash Cards – Use wooden boards or laminated cards for tactile letter tracing and quick recognition games. Great for repeated practice and hands-on learning.
• Chalkboards & Non-Messy Chalk – Classic handwriting tools with modern upgrades for less mess.
• Chalkboard Paint (Magnetic) – Paint a wall or surface for giant-size writing practice.
• Chalkboard Contact Paper – Stick it anywhere for a portable practice zone.
• Journals and Drawing Notebooks – Encourage self-expression and develop writing habits.
• Scrapbooks – Combine art, storytelling, and handwriting in a meaningful keepsake.

🎥 Helpful Handwriting Videos

Looking for visual support to guide your child’s handwriting journey? These videos feature expert tips, demonstrations, and reviews to help your kids build strong penmanship skills from the ground up.

• Learn how to form lowercase and uppercase letters
• Watch how to print and write cursive letters
• Master the proper pencil grip for better control
• Explore curriculum reviews and handwriting tool demonstrations
• Discover simple techniques to make writing easier and more fun

✅Click here to watch helpful videos about handwriting.