What to Buy

Choosing the Right Products

The Handwriting Without Tears® products are designed to meet the developmental needs of all children, so we don’t label workbooks by grade level. While the workbooks are designed for children in preschool through fifth grade, an older child may need a workbook that is designed for a younger child. It is best to choose the products that meet your child’s needs, regardless of grade level or age. These are some general criteria to help you choose the right materials or view some of our product videos to see many of our products in action.

Pre-K

Readiness Materials: Roll-A-Dough Letters, Stamp and See Screen, Capital Letter Wood Piece Set, Letter Cards, Mat, Slate Chalkboard, Pre-K Teacher’s Guide, Get Set for School student workbook

When to Choose

• Your child is at the preschool age (3-5 years old) or functioning at that level
• Your child needs to develop the fine motor skills for holding a crayon or pencil
• Your child is still learning prepositions and directionality terms
• Your child can pay attention to your words and visual demonstrations, and follow simple directions
• Your child does not yet know or write letters or numbers

Kindergarten

Materials: Capital Letter Wood Piece Set, Letter Cards, Mat, Slate, Chalkboard, Blackboard with Double Lines, Kindergarten Teacher’s Guide, Letters and Numbers for Me student workbook, Big Sheet Draw and Write Paper, Draw and Write Notebook, Wide Rule Double Line Paper (100 sheet pack)

When to Choose

• Your child is at the kindergarten age (5 years old) or functioning at that level
• Your child can hold a pencil and recognize most of their letters
• Your child understands prepositions and directionality terms
• Your child can pay attention to your words and visual demonstrations, and follow simple directions

First Grade

Materials: Slate Chalkboard, Blackboard with Double Lines, 1st Grade Printing Teacher’s Guide, My Printing Book student workbook, Big Sheet Draw and Write Paper, Draw and Write Notebook, Wide Rule Double Line Paper (100 sheet pack)

When to Choose

• Your child is in the first grade or functioning at that level
• Your child is learning to print lowercase letters and could use a quick capital and number review
• Your child is writing words and simple sentences
• Your child is learning to place letters correctly on lines
• Your child can copy from a visual demonstration/model

Second Grade

Materials: Slate Chalkboard, Blackboard with Double Lines, 2nd Grade Printing Teacher’s Guide, Printing Power student workbook, Regular Rule Double Line Paper (100 sheet pack)

When to Choose

• Your child needs practice with lowercase letter formation, placement on lines, or spacing
• Your child needs a quick review of capitals and numbers
• Your child is writing sentences and paragraphs

Third Grade

Materials: Blackboard with Double Lines, 3rd Grade Cursive Teacher’s Guide, Cursive Handwriting student workbook, Regular Rule Double Line Paper (100 sheet pack)

When to Choose

• Your child is in the third grade or functioning on that level
• Your child is ready for cursive writing
• Your child has never been introduced to cursive writing but is at the right age/ability level
• Your child is older, but struggling with cursive handwriting

Fourth Grade

Materials: 4th Grade Cursive Teacher’s Guide, Cursive Success student workbook, Narrow Rule Double Line Paper (100 sheet pack)

When to Choose

• Your child is in the fourth grade or functioning at this level
• Your child needs to review the formation of lowercase cursive letters
• Your child needs to work on the connections of cursive letters
• Your child needs to develop fluency in cursive writing

Fifth Grade

Materials: Can-do Cursive student workbook or Can-do Print student workbook, Narrow Rule Double Line Paper (100 sheet pack)

When to Choose

• Your child is in the fifth grade or functioning at this level
• Your older child hasn’t mastered printing or cursive writing (choose print or cursive)
• Your child needs to develop fluency in cursive writing (Can-Do Cursive)

Child Is not Writing at Grade Level

Your child may need extra help with handwriting. Review the criteria listed above, decide which materials would be appropriate for your child, and begin at that level. The teacher’s guides will help you address letter formation, spacing, cursive connections, sentence writing, placement of letters on double lines, and more.

You may need to meet with your child’s teacher to determine the appropriate amount of written work from your child. When a child is learning a new skill, it may be necessary to decrease the amount of written work until your child masters handwriting. If overburdened with writing while having bad handwriting habits, your child will become very frustrated. Allow mastery of handwriting skills before expecting quantity in the work. The teachers’ guides can guide you with trouble shooting.

Products for a Child with a Learning Disability

The HWT materials are designed to teach handwriting in a developmental sequence. Teaching strategies encourage mastery of certain handwriting skills before progression to the next lesson. This strategy is appropriate for all children, including those children with special needs.

Review the criteria lists above and determine which materials would be most appropriate for your child. Based on developmental ability, an older child may use a workbook designed for younger children.