...
Free Name Generator

What is the Best Handwriting Curriculum?

alt=""

An Expert's Guide to Choosing the Right Program

Many teachers, parents, and school leaders ask me the same important question:

What is the best handwriting curriculum for young children?

As a handwriting instruction specialist, former classroom teacher, curriculum director, kindergarten coach, and creator of Squiggle Squad Handwriting, I’ve spent more than a decade supporting early writers in both public and private schools. And I can tell you with confidence:

The best handwriting curriculum is one that is explicit, developmentally aligned, engaging to children, and practical for busy classrooms.

But before choosing the right program, it’s important to understand why handwriting instruction matters—and why many widely used curricula fall short.

Why Handwriting Instruction Is Still Essential

Handwriting is far more than neat penmanship. Learning to write by hand affects:
  • How children process and organize information
  • How they remember letters, sounds, and words
  • How they express ideas in writing
  • Their reading and spelling development
  • Fine-motor growth and overall literacy readiness

Strong handwriting fluency frees the brain to think, create, and communicate. Weak handwriting slows down everything—from reading development to written expression.

Handwriting is not naturally acquired.

It must be explicitly and correctly taught, just like phonics.

Where Popular Handwriting Curricula Fall Short

Many of the handwriting programs used in schools today share similar problems:

1. Visually Unengaging

Most traditional handwriting curricula are black-and-white, text-heavy, and repetitive. Young learners—especially ages 4–7—need color, visuals, characters, and sensory cues to stay motivated.

2. Rigid or Developmentally Misaligned Instruction

Some programs rely on uniform starting points or unnatural movements that slow children down and create stiff, awkward handwriting. These approaches don’t match how early childhood motor development actually works and hinders writing flow needed for fluency.

3. Overwhelming for Beginners

Most curricula introduce letter formation and fine-motor skills at the same time, which can overload new little learners who haven’t yet built the strength, dexterity, or foundational motor patterns needed for smooth handwriting.

4. Low Student Engagement

Without playful elements or meaningful visuals, handwriting quickly becomes boring. When children disengage, their handwriting progress stalls.

5. Not Practical for Busy Classrooms

Teachers often report that the lessons are time-consuming, uninteresting, or too disconnected from what children truly need to grow as writers.

These gaps lead to the biggest pain point I hear in schools:
“We don’t have enough time for handwriting.”

But the real problem isn’t time—it’s using time on instruction that doesn’t actually build handwriting fluency.

What Makes Squiggle Squad the Best Handwriting Curriculum for Young Children?

1. Motor Skills Are Taught Before Letter Formation

Instead of overwhelming children, Squiggle Squad separates motor development from letter learning. Students build handwriting movements incrementally, which leads to confidence and fluency.

2. Colorful Characters Increase Motivation

Kids fall in love with the friendly Squiggle Squad animals, who guide them through each skill step. Teachers report that children ask for handwriting every day because it feels fun and meaningful.

3. Activities Are Developmentally Aligned

Lessons match early childhood motor and cognitive development. Children feel successful because tasks are paced appropriately and designed with their needs in mind.

4. Built for Real Teachers and Tight Schedules

The structure is simple, efficient, and effective. Teachers don’t need long blocks of time—just consistent, high-quality instruction.

5. Strengthens Early Literacy

Because handwriting is foundational to reading and writing, Squiggle Squad supports the entire literacy block—not just fine-motor development.

So—What Is the Best Handwriting Curriculum?

The best handwriting curriculum:
  • Builds foundational motor skills
  • Explicitly teaches letter formation
  • Engages children with visuals and storytelling
  • Supports fluent writing, not slow or rigid habits
  • Fits naturally into a literacy block
  • Helps teachers feel supported, not overwhelmed

For many schools, teachers, and families, Squiggle Squad Handwriting meets these needs more directly and effectively than traditional approaches.

It was intentionally designed to fill the gaps I witnessed year after year in classrooms: low engagement, ineffective instruction, and missed opportunities to support early writers.

A preschooler using a pencil to trace dotted letters, shapes, and lines on a colorful Pre-K handwriting practice worksheet. handwriting worksheets worksheet paper worksheets paper worksheet alphabet paper worksheet paper handwriting prewriting worksheet writing paper worksheets worksheet worksheets worksheet prewriting paper prekindergarten prewriting writing paper worksheet prewriting prewriting worksheets alphabet worksheet alphabet alphabet worksheet prekindergarten prewriting handwriting worksheets alphabet writing paper crayons alphabet worksheet worksheet paper worksheet worksheets alphabet paper paper prewriting worksheet handwriting paper prewriting paper worksheets prewriting writing paper worksheets worksheets alphabet alphabet worksheet writing paper worksheets worksheets prewriting alphabet prewriting prewriting worksheet worksheets alphabet worksheets worksheets worksheet worksheet paper alphabet worksheets worksheet worksheets
A preschooler with a pencil tracing dotted letters, shapes, and lines on a colorful Pre-K handwriting practice worksheet. worksheets alphabet worksheets worksheets alphabet worksheet prewriting prekindergarten worksheets writing paper worksheets writing paper prewriting handwriting alphabet handwriting writing paper worksheets worksheets prewriting handwriting paper worksheets worksheets worksheet prewriting prewriting worksheet paper handwriting prewriting worksheets prekindergarten writing paper worksheet paper writing paper writing paper prewriting paper worksheet worksheet worksheet worksheet worksheets paper handwriting worksheet worksheet writing paper worksheet worksheet worksheets prewriting worksheets worksheets prekindergarten worksheet prekindergarten writing paper paper worksheet worksheets handwriting prewriting worksheet worksheet prewriting worksheet worksheets alphabet writing paper writing paper worksheet worksheets alphabet worksheet worksheets prewriting prewriting
Pre-K writing sheets with dotted letters, shapes, and tracing lines for preschool handwriting practice. worksheets paper worksheet handwriting prewriting worksheets alphabet handwriting worksheets handwriting worksheet prewriting alphabet worksheet prewriting worksheet worksheets paper worksheets prewriting paper worksheet worksheet paper alphabet prewriting paper paper paper writing paper writing paper worksheets worksheets handwriting worksheets worksheet worksheet worksheet worksheets worksheet prewriting handwriting worksheet alphabet prewriting prewriting worksheet prewriting worksheet alphabet handwriting prewriting crayons prewriting handwriting worksheet worksheets alphabet prewriting worksheet paper alphabet prewriting alphabet worksheet prewriting worksheet prewriting worksheet paper writing paper prewriting prewriting prekindergarten worksheet worksheet worksheets alphabet alphabet prewriting worksheets prewriting
A preschooler tracing dotted letters, shapes, and lines on a Pre-K handwriting practice worksheet worksheets writing paper handwriting worksheets worksheet worksheet handwriting prewriting handwriting prewriting worksheet worksheets alphabet capital letters worksheet worksheets writing paper writing paper writing paper worksheet handwriting paper worksheets prewriting prewriting worksheet prewriting paper prewriting worksheet worksheets writing paper worksheet alphabet paper worksheet paper worksheets prewriting worksheets worksheet prewriting alphabet writing paper prewriting paper handwriting alphabet worksheets worksheet writing paper handwriting worksheet paper worksheets alphabet prekindergarten alphabet paper worksheet worksheets worksheets worksheets prewriting alphabet handwriting worksheet prewriting alphabet paper writing paper alphabet worksheet prewriting prewriting paper writing paper handwriting worksheet paper alphabet alphabet

Handwriting Deserves a Place in Every Literacy Block

If we want children to become fluent, confident writers, we must take handwriting instruction seriously. This piece of the literacy puzzle is not optional; it is foundational. It is a learning tool that shapes a child’s entire academic future.

For teachers, principals, and preschool directors looking to give students the strongest start possible, a thoughtfully designed curriculum is essential.

The Squiggle Squad approach to handwriting instruction is fun and research-aligned to ensure students receive a strong start to their writing journey.

Holly Britton, M.Ed

I am an educator. I have worked in both private and public education. I founded Squiggle Squad, a unique handwriting curriculum for students ages 4 to 8. This blog is my attempt to synthesize and share my findings, observations, and hopes for reversing the downward spiral of literacy rates in the US.

Interesting Posts

Discover More