Cursive might seem like a thing of the past, but it still remains an important skill that all children should learn. Learning cursive writing can provide various benefits for children’s cognitive and motor skill development. Cursive handwriting requires a different set of fine motor skills compared to printing, helping children refine their hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. The continuous, flowing nature of cursive writing also encourages better hand control and rhythm. Additionally, the unique letter formations in cursive can enhance memory retention and recognition, as the interconnected letters form a distinct visual pattern. Research suggests that the act of physically writing in cursive can stimulate different areas of the brain, potentially aiding in overall cognitive development and learning.
Evan-Moor’s digital lesson library, TeacherFileBox, provides hundreds of cursive writing activities to help children learn and practice. From beginning to advanced cursive, TeacherFileBox printables include engaging activities that make learning fun. Many of our curated cursive activities are units from Evan-Moor’s Daily Handwriting Practice books for grades 1–6.
Download free sample activities from Daily Handwriting Practice here.
Practice makes perfect! Use these printables (for grades 2–6) to playfully engage children in practicing the basics of cursive letters:
View this TeacherFileBox printable here. With this activity, practice writing the letters A, B, C, D, and E. Repeat writing both uppercase and lowercase letters, then move to full sentences. This printable has a daily practice activity for each day of the week, rounding out the week by practicing lowercase letters with an e.e. cummings poem.
Work on cursive capital letters and the days of the week:
View this TeacherFileBox Printable here. Use this printable to practice the days of the week and alliterative sentences. Finish out the activity by copying a story in cursive.
Learn geography and cardinal directions while also learning cursive:
View this TeacherFileBox printable here. This daily practice activity works on capital letters and geographic vocabulary in cursive.
For younger kids (grades 2–3), try these creative activities:
View this Cursive: Alligator TeacherFileBox printable here.
This activity works on the capital and lowercase “A.” Students finish the activity by writing an original sentence about an alligator.
View this Cursive: Whale TeacherFileBox here.
This activity works on the capital and lowercase “W.” Students finish the activity by writing an original sentence about a whale.
View this TeacherFileBox Cursive: Dot-to-Dot printable here.
Create a hot air balloon picture with this connect-the-dot activity. Students connect dots of the A–Z cursive alphabet.
Evan-Moor’s TeacherFileBox printables are a great tool to help children learn cursive handwriting. The diverse cursive handwriting activities and games provide engaging learning experiences for kids. With over 80,000 lesson units available across PreK–6 grades, TeacherFileBox makes it easy to build your cursive handwriting curriculum. In addition to cursive handwriting lessons, TeacherFileBox also includes lesson units across the curriculum for grades PreK–6 in math, language, writing, science, geography, social studies, STEM/STEAM, SEL, and more! Save your favorite printables in your personal account—and print lessons, project them onto a screen, or share them in your Google Classroom! Try TeacherFileBox for free for 14 days and browse reading printables and activity ideas.
For more tips on teaching cursive, browse How to Teach My Child Cursive: Complete Instructions here.
Natalie Robinson is a recent Communication Studies graduate from LMU. She has a strong passion for writing and loves children. Having grown up in a Montessori school and later transitioning to public school, Natalie values early childhood education and believes that social and emotional learning should be a core tenet within all homes and classrooms. In writing for Evan-Moor, Natalie hopes to build a career in copywriting and copyediting.