Children’s handwriting skills could fall behind as screen time soars, warns expert
As more young people turn to tablets and laptops for learning and entertainment, a new concern is surfacing: are their handwriting skills quietly slipping away?
Handwriting specialists are observing a noticeable decline in children’s penmanship, raising questions about what this means for their academic futures and personal development.
Liz Maguire, creator of Flea Market Love Letters, reflected on how the “art of handwriting” is becoming a lost practice, directly impacted by the popularity of tech.
“Handwriting is an art form and, I think, as with any art form, it requires practice,” she told NewsTalk. “The over-reliance or the popularisation of tech is definitely affecting the way that we communicate.”
The effects of this trend are broad-reaching. Maguire believes the diminishing focus on handwriting could have unforeseen impacts on students' well-being, explaining that “there is a proven link between memory and the act of writing” that enhances one's ability to recall information.
Beyond memory, Maguire highlighted the “huge mental health benefits” of writing, noting that practices like journaling and letter writing became popular during COVID-19 because people felt “saturated with screens.”
When life resumed post-lockdown, Maguire observed, many families struggled to maintain their screen-free routines, with children often “handed back the iPads” without a second thought to the effects this could have. She recommends parents encourage letter writing to help children reconnect with handwriting, an approach that not only improves skills but also brings a unique and personal touch to communication.
The drop in handwriting proficiency amongst children due to the rapid rise in tech usage is an issue educators, parents, and policymakers may want to address thoughtfully. While digital literacy is vital, it shouldn’t come at the expense of fundamental skills like handwriting, which can support both personal and academic growth.
By embracing both traditional and modern teaching methods, we can help children gain the full suite of skills they’ll need for the future.
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Authors
Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.
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