Handwriting Tips and Tricks

Helpful Handwriting Terms Clockwise Counter-Clockwise Topline Midline Baseline Basement

Lowercase Letters a-z

Pencil Movement f i j k t x a b c d e g h l m n o p q r s u v w y z PICK-UP PENCIL DO NO PICK-UP PENCIL f i j k t x a b c d e g h l m n o p q r s u v w y z

a Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock Circle around counter-clockwise back to 2 o’clock Pull straight down to the baseline

Circle around clockwise to 8 o’clock b Handwriting Rules: Start at just below the topline Pull straight down to the baseline Push back up to 10 o’clock Circle around clockwise to 8 o’clock

c Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock Circle around counter-clockwise to 4 o’clock

Pull straight back down to the baseline Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock Circle around counter-clockwise back to 2 o’clock Push up to just below the topline Pull straight back down to the baseline

Handwriting Rules: Start at 9 o’clock Pull straight across to 3 o’clock Circle around counter-clockwise to 4 o’clock

f Handwriting Rules: Start halfway between the topline and midline Curve up to almost the topline the back down Pull straight down to the baseline Pick-up your pencil then cross the “f” just above the midline

g Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock Circle around counter-clockwise back to 2 o’clock Pull straight down to the basement and circle clockwise from 4 o’clock to 8 o’clock

h Handwriting Rules: Start just below the topline Pull straight down to the baseline Push back up to 9 o’clock Curve around clockwise to 3 o’clock

i Handwriting Rules: Start at the midline at 12 o’clock Pull straight down to the baseline to 6 o’clock Pick-up your pencil and place the dot just above the midline

j Handwriting Rules: Start at the midline at 12 o’clock Pull straight down through the baseline into the basement to 6 o’clock Curve around clockwise to 8 o’clock Pick-up your pencil and place the dot just above the midline

k Handwriting Rules: Start just below the topline Pull straight down to the baseline to 6 o’clock Pick-up your pencil and start at the midline Angle through 2 o’clock towards the stick of the “k” Angle back away from the stick of the “k” through 4 o’clock to the baseline

l Handwriting Rules: Start just below the topline Pull straight down to the baseline to 6 o’clock

Curve around clockwise to 2 o’clock Pull straight down to the baseline m Handwriting Rules: Start at the midline and pull straight down to the baseline Push back up to 10 o’clock Curve around clockwise to 2 o’clock Pull straight down to the baseline

Curve around clockwise to 2 o’clock Pull straight down to the baseline Handwriting Rules: Start at the midline and pull straight down to the baseline Push back up to 10 o’clock Curve around clockwise to 2 o’clock Pull straight down to the baseline

o Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock Circle around counter-clockwise back to 2 o’clock

Circle around clockwise to 8 o’clock p Handwriting Rules: Start at the midline and pull down into the basement Push back up to 10 o’clock Circle around clockwise to 8 o’clock

q Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock Circle around counter-clockwise back to 2 o’clock Pull straight down into the basement Create the tail

r Handwriting Rules: Start at the midline Pull straight down to the baseline Push back up to 10 o’clock Curve around clockwise to 2 o’clock

s Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock Curve around counter-clockwise to 10 o’clock Go through middle of clock to 4 o’clock Curve around clock wise to 8 o’clock

t Handwriting Rules: Start just below the topline Pull straight down to the baseline to 6 o’clock Pick-up your pencil and place the cross just above the midline

u Handwriting Rules: Start at the midline Pull straight down to 8 o’clock Curve around counter-clockwise to 4 o’clock Push up to the midline Pull straight back down to the baseline

v Handwriting Rules: From midline angle down to baseline at 6 o’clock Angle back up to midline

w Handwriting Rules: From midline angle down to baseline at 6 o’clock Angle back up to the midline Angle down to the baseline at 6 o’clock

x Handwriting Rules: Start at midline and angle down to baseline through 11 o’clock and 5 o’clock Pick up and cross from midline down to baseline through 1 o’clock and 7 o’clock

y Handwriting Rules: Start at the midline Pull straight down to 8 o’clock Curve around counter-clockwise to 4 o’clock and push up to the midline Pull straight back down to the basement Curve around clockwise from 4 o’clock to 8 o’clock

z Handwriting Rules: Start at midline and pull straight across to the right Angle down through the middle of the clock to the baseline right below the starting point Pull straight across the on the baseline to just below the point above on the midline

Numbers 0-9

Start at 2 o’clock just below the topline Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock just below the topline Circle around counter-clockwise back to 2 o’clock

1 Handwriting Rules: Start at the topline Pull straight down to the baseline to 6 o’clock

2 Handwriting Rules: Start at 10 o’clock Curve around clockwise to 4 o’clock Angle to the baseline Pull straight across the baseline

3 Handwriting Rules: Start at 10 o’clock Curve around clockwise to 6 o’clock on the midline Curve around clockwise past the baseline to 8 o’clock

4 Handwriting Rules: Start at the topline Pull straight down to the midline Draw straight across in the direction we read on the midline Pick-up your pencil and at the topline Pull straight down to the baseline crossing your line drawn on the midline

5 Handwriting Rules: Start at the topline Pull straight down to the midline Curve around clockwise to 8 o’clock Pick-up your pencil and put a hat in the direction we read

6 Handwriting Rules: Start at the topline Angle down towards the baseline to 10’clock Circle around counter-clockwise back to 10 o’clock

7 Handwriting Rules: Start at the topline draw straight across in the direction we read Angle down to the baseline stopping underneath the starting point

Curve up from the midline counter-clockwise back to 2 o’clock 8 Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock and curve counter-clockwise to 6 o’clock at the midline Curve around clockwise from 12 o’clock at the midline back around to 12 o’clock Curve up from the midline counter-clockwise back to 2 o’clock

9 Handwriting Rules: Start at 2 o’clock Circle around counter-clockwise back to 2 o’clock Pull straight down to the baseline