In today’s digital age, the art of handwriting remains an essential skill, one that bridges the gap between tradition and technology. With the advent of iPads, a new realm of possibilities has opened up for teaching and enhancing handwriting skills. Handwriting apps for iPads are revolutionizing the way we approach this age-old skill, combining the convenience of digital technology with the personal touch of hand-written communication.
Whether for young learners beginning their educational journey or adults seeking to refine their penmanship, these apps offer diverse and user-friendly tools to cater to all needs. In this post, we’ll explore some of the top handwriting apps for iPad, delving into their unique features, customization options, and how they stand out in fostering handwriting skills in an engaging and effective manner.
Handwriting Apps for iPad
Here are our top picks for the best handwriting apps for iPad:
1. Writing Wizard
Writing Wizard is an interactive app designed to help children learn to trace letters, numbers, and words, engaging them with a carefully crafted system that maintains motivation. It offers 16 different fonts, including popular ones in the U.S., and fun tracing activities with over 50 animated stickers and sound effects. The app allows for the creation of custom word lists, complete with recorded audio, and is fully customizable to meet individual learning needs.
The app also includes reports for tracking progress and the ability to create PDF worksheets for additional practice. Recognized for its excellence in educational design, Writing Wizard is ideal for children, providing an entertaining learning experience, while also offering parents and teachers useful tools for monitoring and supporting their child’s handwriting development.
2. Cursive Writing Wizard
Cursive Writing Wizard is a highly interactive and customizable handwriting app that is designed to teach and reinforce accurate tracing of cursive letters and proper letter joining, featuring the three most popular U.S. fonts (ZB, DN, HWT) along with UK, French, and Swiss fonts. It allows personalization with custom word lists and audio recordings for each word.
Engaging features include 50+ animated stickers, sound effects, interactive games, and a variety of tracing activities from uppercase and lowercase letters to numbers and words. The app caters to different learning needs with customizable settings like letter size and difficulty, phonics, letter names, and a left-handed mode. Additionally, it provides valuable progress monitoring through detailed reports and replayable tracing activities. For practical handwriting practice, it also supports the creation of printable worksheets and is compatible with Apple Pencil.
3. LetterSchool
LetterSchool is an engaging and educational app for both iPad and iPhone, designed to teach kids handwriting through a variety of features. It includes block and cursive letters, numbers 1-10, and 24 geometric shapes, along with a vocabulary-building component featuring a range of words. The app tracks progress and offers unique “Golden Levels” for advanced learning. With interactive animations and the choice of three popular handwriting fonts, it’s ideal for home-schooling and kindergartens, including children with special educational needs. LetterSchool provides a free trial of its basic features, making it a versatile and appealing tool for parents and teachers alike.
4. iTrace
iTrace is an innovative iPad app tailored for teaching handwriting to children, offering a blend of block and cursive letters, numbers, and words. Its unique approach includes customizable learning paths, multiple font support, and engaging animated scenes to maintain interest. With features catering to different learning paces and orientations, it’s ideal for both classroom and home use. The app emphasizes privacy and interactive learning, tracking progress and rewarding achievements, making it a noteworthy tool in early education.
5. Writey
Writey is a versatile app designed to enhance handwriting skills across all age groups, offering an enjoyable and interactive learning experience. It provides a range of courses in calligraphy, cursive, print writing, and simple alphabets, catering to both children and adults. The app is particularly effective for note-taking and offers lessons in various styles and languages, including English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, Dutch, and Japanese.
Key features include compatibility with Apple Pencil, smart worksheets, zoom functions for comfort, and guided lessons for each letter type. Additionally, Writey supports language learning, helping users to write beautifully in multiple languages. With its ad-free interface, dark mode, and a plethora of word lessons, Writey stands out as a comprehensive tool for improving handwriting and language skills.
6. Cursive: Learn English
The “Cursive: Learn English” app offers a focused and customizable platform for those looking to practice English cursive handwriting. It includes tracing exercises for both uppercase and lowercase alphabets, along with a collection of over 100 words. A standout feature of this app is the ability to add and practice custom words, enhancing personal learning experiences.
Its functionality extends to a search feature for words, a unique option to convert text into cursive in the “Custom” section, and the ability to practice these custom cursive additions. User-friendly settings include a switchable pen/eraser, adjustable example guides (with or without lines), and options to change line thickness and color. The app also offers customization with dark mode and theme colors, all within a simple, Material Design-based interface, making it a practical tool for anyone looking to improve their cursive writing skills in English.
7. Handwriting Success
The Handwriting Success App transforms the acclaimed Getty-Dubay® handwriting program into a dynamic, interactive digital experience suitable for tablet and stylus use. It encompasses eight comprehensive workbooks with detailed instructions and reusable practice pages, accessible via free samples or through in-app purchases with subscription options.
Designed to mimic an ebook, the app offers easy navigation and customization, including pen color, width, and opacity adjustments for tracing and copying exercises. Targeting both children and adults, it provides age-specific workbooks and a professional ebook for adults.
Related: 15 Best Thesaurus Apps for iPhone and Android
Wrapping Up
The handwriting apps I shared with you in this post offer something for everyone – from young children taking their first steps in letter formation to adults perfecting their cursive or calligraphy. These apps not only make learning and practicing handwriting more engaging and fun but also provide flexible and personalized approaches to suit different learning styles and needs. With features ranging from custom word lists and interactive tracing to detailed progress tracking and handwriting in multiple languages, these apps are powerful tools in the journey towards handwriting mastery.
