Is Handwriting Still Important? The Science Behind Handwriting and Brain Development

Why handwriting still matters in the digital world

"HELP! I can’t read my child’s handwriting! It is so messy with uppercases and lowercases all over the place!"

In today’s digital-first world, where typing and touchscreen devices dominate learning, is handwriting still important? Many parents and educators wonder if teaching handwriting is outdated?

They did not have time to “do” handwriting in school.

Handwriting was a subject that many teachers didn’t believe they had time to teach.

There are so many important skills to focus on, such as reading, maths, social, and emotional learning, and the list goes on. Teachers felt more responsibility for teaching those important skills. Handwriting (and keyboarding) is an assumed skill.

A study conducted in Western Australia found that the time spent teaching writing and keyboarding per week was 42 minutes for handwriting and 28 minutes for keyboarding.

So, does it really matter?

When we worry about our child not being able to sit still, focus, or even read, we may not realise that handwriting might be the culprit.

Research suggests that handwriting is more than just a way to record information; it plays a vital role in brain development, focus, and emotional regulation, especially in young learners.

The Science Behind Handwriting and Brain Development

Handwriting is a complex cognitive and motor process that activates multiple areas of the brain. Studies show that when children write by hand, they engage neural circuits linked to memory, creativity, and problem-solving.

✅ A 2024 study by psychologists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, found that handwriting stimulates more brain activity than typing, enhancing learning and memory.

✅ The act of forming letters by hand strengthens neural pathways, improving spelling, reading fluency, and written expression.

✅ Students who practice handwriting show stronger literacy skills compared to those who mainly use digital writing tools (Malpique et al., 2024).

Handwriting and Sensory Development: The Missing Link

Handwriting is a multi-sensory experience that involves visual, tactile, and kinaesthetic senses. This makes it an essential skill for sensory integration and motor coordination. Handwriting engages visual, motor, and cognitive processing simultaneously, reinforcing learning through multi-sensory input.

✋ How Handwriting Engages the Senses:

🔹 Touch & Proprioception: The grip on a pencil provides tactile input, helping children develop a sense of space and movement.

🔹 Hand-Eye Coordination: Forming letters enhances fine motor control, which is critical for everyday tasks like buttoning shirts or tying shoelaces.

🔹 Kinaesthetic Learning: Writing engages the body's movement system, reinforcing memory through muscle repetition (also known as muscle memory).

Incorporating multi-sensory stimulation, such as the four-step process: point, say, move, and trace, helps in early literacy learning. Writing while saying the letter name connects motor movements with vision (seeing the letter) and auditory processing (hearing oneself say the letter name).

Children with well-developed handwriting skills tend to have stronger hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, which support a range of daily activities beyond writing.

Handwriting and Emotional Regulation: A Tool for Focus & Calm

In an age of constant digital stimulation, many children struggle with focus, emotional regulation, and self-control. Handwriting offers a built-in mindfulness exercise that helps children slow down, regulate emotions, and concentrate.

Handwriting engages fine motor control and impulse control. Developing fine motor skills helps strengthen focused attention and self-regulation abilities.

Studies show that writing by hand promotes lateralisation, supporting effective communication between the two hemispheres (both sides of the brain).

Children’s right hemisphere (responsible for emotions, imagination, creativity, etc.) develops before the left hemisphere (responsible for logic, reasoning, etc.), and they tend to use their right hemisphere more. When both hemispheres are lateralised, children can regulate impulsive behaviour better, contributing to more controlled and intentional behaviour (Levy & Reis, 2020).

The rhythmic movement of handwriting also activates the prefrontal cortex, the brain's control centre for focus, attention, and impulse control.

Handwriting Boosts Concentration and Attention Span

Unlike typing, which is often fast and mechanical, handwriting forces the brain to slow down and fully engage with the task at hand. This enhances concentration, patience, and sustained attention — skills that are essential for academic success and lifelong learning.

Research found that students who took handwritten notes retained more information and had better conceptual understanding compared to those who typed their notes.

✅ Handwriting requires active thinking, which strengthens memory recall.

✅ Writing by hand slows down cognitive processing, making learning more effective.

✅ Students who write by hand tend to be more creative and better at problem-solving.

💡 What Can Parents & Educators Do?

✔ Strengthen fine-motor skills – incorporate activities such as clay moulding, threading, and finger exercises.

✔ Encourage daily handwriting practice – even 10-15 minutes a day can make a difference!

✔ Use handwriting as a calming activity – journaling, letter-writing, and even doodling can improve focus.

✔ Balance screen time with paper-based activities – limit excessive typing in early education.

✔ Make handwriting fun! – engage children in creative writing, storytelling, and art projects.

🚀 Or join a Handwriting Club!

At Beyond Handwriting Club, children will be developing handwriting skills in a fun, engaging, and research-backed way. The sessions incorporate sensory play, fine motor exercises, and creative writing activities to help children build confidence in their writing abilities.

👉 Join a Handwriting Club today!

Register here for more information.

Handwriting is More Than Just Writing

Handwriting is not an outdated skill; it is an essential cognitive, sensory, and emotional tool that shapes how children learn, think, and communicate.

✅ Handwriting builds brainpower – strengthening memory, literacy, and cognitive development.

✅ It supports sensory & motor skills – essential for fine motor control and coordination.

✅ It enhances focus & emotional regulation – helping children develop patience and resilience.

✅ It remains a critical skill for success – even in a digital world, handwriting is irreplaceable!