I thought I’d share my response to a recent email since the situation is quite common. A homeschooling mom’s six-year-old son doesn’t like to color, protests writing, and sometimes complains that his hands hurt after writing.

All kids his age, and especially boys, need work building fine motor strength. Many boys complain about their hands getting tired or achy when writing. I suggest he dictate compositions. He should practice handwriting, but as soon as he is able to write enough letters and words that practice can do double duty. For instance, he can copy spelling words or a short Scripture verse assigned for memorization. You could also have two short handwriting sessions rather than one longer one in consideration of his hand fatigue. Have him use fat utensils or grips when drawing or writing. A board with a stylus (like Fisher Price’s Doodle Pro) doesn’t require as much pressure, allowing him to write longer without fatigue. If you add a handwriting session where he can use the Doodle Pro he may not protest the extra practice.

Incorporate plenty of activities other than handwriting to build fine motor strength. Let him draw lines through a maze, do connect-the-dot papers, trace around cut-outs or stencils and on occasion color them in. Anything he might be willing to color can be outlined with white glue first. Once it hardens he can color in the shape more easily because of the bump that serves as a boundary. Other activities: working with clay, kneading dough, cutting, pasting, painting, placing pegs in peg boards, stringing beads or macaroni, playing games like Cootie that require pressure to put pieces together (snap toys, Lego, etc.), stacking with small blocks, using toys that require squeezing (bath/water toys), and hanging on a bar on the swing set. He may find some of these activities difficult, but he is more likely to be willing to try them. The result will be greater strength that will ultimately help his handwriting.