Handwriting Games, Etc. to Help with Size/spacing Challenges?

Start him on doing a daily journal.
He can write a paragraph or page about anything he wants to write about.

My daughter had problems with printing - all aspects. So we hired an OT Therapist privately because our wait for evaluation was really long.I am glad I did because within just 1-2 appointments, she had given me everything I needed to know as a parent to start working on it. So we had the tools, and she gave me websites and materials to use.

We used the https://www.hwtears.com/hwt Handwriting without Tears system. They also have a typing course for kids who have problems with printing - in case it's easier for them. We're about to start that. It's accepted by our teacher for kids who find it easier to type to keep up. I am happy with that because I don't want my daughter to fall behind just because it takes her longer to print.

My daughter learned how to form her letters quite easily, but continued to have problems with size and spacing. So for that, she has to put a finger between her words to help her know how much room to leave. That's helped very quickly. I find for the sizing and knowing how far to make the big P for example, the HWTears books were great. They have the dotted line paper so she got used to how a capital letter should look and where to form it compared to lower case. It's almost second nature now. We started this all last summer.

We do journal writing, and some type of writing activity daily. Just short so it's not like work, and make it part of something fun. So she plays school with her stuffies, and so I give her a clip board and get her to pretend she's teacher her animals. I get a cup of tea and sit with her just to make sure she gets started ok.

Our OT therapist checks in with me from time to time by email and I send her pictures of her printing and school work. She's available to come back if needs be, but so far she's pleased.

My thoughts would be not to wait if you can make it happen any other way - because it really doesn't take much for an OT therapist to see what they're doing and address it. Ours knew within 10 minutes what pencil grips to give us, what motor skill activities to try, etc.

Good luck :)

A journal, as suggested by B, is a great idea. Sort of on the idea of "read anything you want" is "write anything you want." Can he write letters to Grandma, Aunt Susie, a pen pal? Can he help write out the grocery list if you stare at the cupboards and fridge and list what's needed? It's a helpful thing rather than a "homework" type of exercise. Then you can go to the store together and pick up the stuff on the list - let him read off the items as you go through the store. (Hint - divided the paper into sections for produce, dairy, frozen, toiletries, etc. - the shopping trip won't seem so chaotic!)

Does he like to cook? Maybe you can find recipes in cookbooks or magazines at the library, and have him copy them down? Or even convert them from giant family size to moderate size (good work with fractions too!). Does he draw? Does he have an interest in drawing a comic book? Does he like certain TV shows or products, or does he have complaints? He could write letters to the companies with his opinions or gripes. Some kids even write letters to their congress member, senator or the president.

I'd check teacher resources, either through websites or through talking to the teacher or the OT.

I didn't know writing issues were common with autism. i'm gonna go look that up.

i wonder what Pinterest would have. Gold mine of ideas for just about everything. I have seen teachers use popsicle sticks for their students to use as spacers when they write.

good for you for looking into it and I hope you find something great that he likes.

ooo ooo! Also, Can he walk down steps with alternating feet, the way an adult would? can he touch is left hand to his right knee and switch. crossing Mid line. is huge! it develops both sides of the brain and gets them synced up together. work on that too if he has any trouble with his gross motor skills.

My daughter has dysgraphia (was diagnosed in grade 2), although she does not have autism nor is she on the spectrum. Her handwriting was so bad that teachers could not read what she wrote. She formed her letters correctly (directionally speaking) and her vocabulary and sentence composition were well above-grade, but her writing went from big to teeny within the same word, the words were squished together, she wrote only on the right side of the page, and all her sentences looked like they were falling off a cliff.

Here are a few things that helped. First, she was put on a 504 plan. This meant that she would continue to receive the same curriculum as the other students, at the same pace, but with accommodations. Accommodations included not having to answer questions in complete sentences (since the teachers knew she was capable of forming a complete sentence); spelling words orally to a teacher's aide instead of writing the spelling words out; shortened assignments (one paragraph instead of two, for example). Also, she did not have to use a standard worksheet (lines provided for answers were too small) so she was permitted to type her answers on a computer and print them out and attach them to the worksheet. She was assigned a "scribe" during state testing - that was the word they used for an aide who sat with her in a private room during state testing. My daughter read the question and dictated her answer to the scribe who wrote it down verbatim. Assignments were shortened (instead of answering 20 questions, she only had to answer the even numbered ones). If you ask for a 504 plan, think about what helps your son at home when he needs to write something.

Other things that helped: using graph paper with fairly large squares. If I couldn't find them online with squares that were big enough, I'd print my own. She did math problems using the graph paper, putting one number in one square. That way her math problems lined up.

We also purchased embossed writing paper (you can just google "embossed writing paper". It's paper with green or black lines that are raised and sometimes it helps a kid who writes crooked.

Sometimes, a big part of the solution involves removing the stress. While your child is getting occupational therapy, work with the therapist to help you draft a 504 plan to present to the school officials. Dysgraphia can be so frustrating for our kids!

If he is on a 504 plan, also ask what transcribing accommodations can be done for him. I am more familiar with transcribing for a SPED IEP, but you may be able to get accommodations for his 504 plan, also.

These may include bubbling assistance, or typing out the essay. Again, I'm not sure what would be available for elementary accommodations, but it is worth checking out.

Some one already mentioned handwriting without tears (HWT) I second that and I am a certified handwriting Specialist. I use the HWT program and work with children with disgraphia. I am near the dfw airport if you want to contact me. I will be happy to guide. My website is
writetoshine dot com