Handwriting

NPR -  In our screen-dominated world, text messages, Google calendars and Notes app grocery lists have largely replaced handwritten letters, physical planners and sticky notes. Many schools have started to introduce computers as early as preschool — meaning kids learn how to type before they learn how to write by hand. A growing body of research shows that giving up this slower, more tactile way of expression may have consequences. 

✍️ Handwriting is one of the most complex motor skills the brain is capable of. It requires a more fine-tuned connection between the motor and visual systems and more deeply engages our brain than typing. 
✍️ Kids learn to recognize letters better when they see variable handwritten examples compared to uniform typed examples. Letter recognition in early childhood is a large predictor of future reading and math attainment.
✍️ For adults, writing by hand can force you to slow down and process information better.
✍️ Tech junkies don't have to ditch their digital tools to get these benefits. Research suggests writing with a stylus on a screen activates the same brain pathways as using pen and paper.