I have a super easy handwriting tool to try. This is a sensory-motor activity that adds a tactile sensory experience to handwriting practice in a colorful and fun way. You can read more about using writing trays in handwriting to encourage letter formation or check out the writing tray ideas below.
Easy Rice Writing Tray
This rice writing tray is very easy to throw together. You'll need a couple of items (Affiliate links are included in this post):
Rice (colored with liquid food coloring)
A low tray like one of these wooden puzzle boxes
Colorful cardstock in a contrasting color (We used yellow cardstock)
Erasers (for the writing tool)
Dye the rice. Here is a tutorial to dye rice. Warning-this is an old blog post from way back when this site just started out!
Next, place the cardstock in a low tray. The wooden tray from puzzles is perfect.
Pour the rice over the cardstock, and you are ready to write!
Try adding small items like erasers to the tray. Kids can count them and then work on number formation using large motor planning to address order of lines. Add verbal cues for the child who is first learning how to make numbers or letters.
After writing the letters or numbers in the writing tray, give it a gently swish with both hands to clear the form. This is a great way to get both hands working together in a way that encourages bilateral coordination at the midline. Read more about bilateral coordination activities on the site.
To make a writing tool, use an unsharpened pencil, sticking an eraser on the lead end. These erasers work very well to turn a pencil into a writing tray tool.
