List 2 Benefits: Why Writing Cursive Is Important for Students and Brain Development

Look, before we even start, let’s clear something up. This post is called “List 2 Benefits: Why Writing Cursive Is Important for Students and Brain Development”, but honestly there are way more than two benefits. Like… a lot more. Cursive writing has so many benefits for students and brain development that I could probably write a book about it. We’re talking about cognitive improvements, motor skill development, better memory retention, enhanced reading abilities, help for kids with learning disabilities, academic, emotional, even practical benefits that don’t get talked about enough anymore, and connection to cultural heritage, and the list just keeps going.

So if you came here expecting a tiny list with only 2 benefits of cursive writing and a quick answer, you’ll still get that clarity, but you’ll also walk away understanding why cursive still matters in 2026, why schools are slowly bringing it back, and how you can actually make learning it stick 

Let’s start where most people start.

Before we get into all the benefits, let’s talk about how we even got here. Back in 2010, something major changed in American education. The Common Core State Standards were introduced across 46 states, setting unified goals for what kids should learn from kindergarten through high school and unfortunately cursive didn’t even make the list.

Schools started prioritizing typing skills and digital literacy. With computers taking over workplaces, educators thought, “Why spend weeks teaching cursive when kids need to learn how to type?” Plus, there was limited classroom time, limited resources, and tough decisions to make about which subjects mattered most. Cursive looked kind of optional.

The logic seemed reasonable at the time. We live in a digital world, right? Kids need technology skills to succeed. Cursive felt outdated, like teaching them to use a rotary phone when everyone had smartphones.

So cursive got cut from most schools. And when 45 states decided not to teach it, a whole generation grew up without it and that’s why Gen Z can’t read or write in cursive.

Let’s start with what cursive does for your brain and body. I think the most important thing people need to kn ow is that this isn’t just about making pretty or aesthetic looking letters, it’s about  actual development.

Learning cursive improves your fine motor skills in ways that typing or even print writing doesn’t. When you write in cursive, your hand has to make smooth, flowing movements. You’re controlling the pressure, the angle, the curves, all of it. This trains the small muscles in your hands and fingers, building dexterity and coordination.

Kids who learn cursive develop better hand-eye coordination because they’re constantly watching the pen flow across the page while simultaneously controlling that movement. It’s like a workout for the connection between your eyes and your hands.

Research has shown that the process of writing in cursive engages different parts of the brain compared to typing. When you type, you’re pressing individual keys. When you write in cursive, you’re creating continuous flowing movements that require planning, motor control, and spatial awareness all at once.

This activates multiple brain regions simultaneously, potentially enhancing overall cognitive development. Your brain has to work harder in a good way, and that extra effort builds stronger neural pathways.

Studies consistently show that people remember information better when they write it by hand. If you’re taking notes in cursive during a lecture, you’re more likely to remember that information than if you typed it. Why? Because writing by hand forces you to process the information as you’re writing it. You can’t just transcribe word for word like you can when typing. You have to engage with the material.

A 2019 study found that learning to write by hand was essential for academic success. Students who write notes by hand perform better on tests than students who type their notes. The act of handwriting creates deeper encoding in memory.

Cursive doesn’t just help with writing, it actually makes you a better reader too.

Research suggests that students who learn cursive often perform better in reading and writing overall. There’s something about understanding how letters flow and connect that helps with reading fluency. When you know how to write in cursive, you can recognize cursive text more easily, which opens up a whole world of historical documents, family letters, and handwritten materials.

But it goes deeper than that. Learning cursive reinforces the connection between sounds and letters. As you write each letter, you’re thinking about what it sounds like, what it looks like, and how it connects to other letters. This multisensory approach strengthens literacy skills across the board.

Cursive helps improve spelling because you’re writing entire words in one continuous motion. Your hand develops muscle memory for common letter combinations and word patterns. This makes spelling feel more natural and automatic.

Plus, students who learn cursive often write longer, more complex sentences. The flow of cursive helps with the continuous thought and expression. You probably try not to stop and restart mid-sentence because lifting your pen feels like an interruption to the natural rhythm.

This one was actually a surprise for me too! Cursive can actually be easier for students with dyslexia or dysgraphia than print writing. Why? Because the connected letters in cursive create a natural flow that helps prevent letter reversals.

When letters are connected, a “b” can’t easily become a “d” because the entry and exit strokes are different. The continuous motion of cursive writing can be less frustrating for students who struggle with the stop-start nature of print writing. For some kids with learning differences, cursive becomes their preferred writing style because it just works better for their brain.

This benefit is huge, and it’s one of the main reasons states started bringing cursive back.

Understanding cursive is really important for reading historical documents in their original form. The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, all of these foundational documents are written in cursive. If you can’t read cursive, you can’t read these texts as they were originally written.

Family letters, old diaries, historical records, birth certificates, marriage licenses, so much of our written history exists in cursive.

Without the ability to read it, entire generations are cut off from understanding these documents firsthand. 

Cursive allows for a more personal and expressive form of communication, and that matters more than you might think.

Each individual’s cursive handwriting is unique. It’s like a fingerprint. Your cursive develops personality and character over time. The loops might be bigger, or the slant might be different. This uniqueness gives you a way to develop your own style and identity.

In a world where so much communication is standardized through typing and text messages, having a distinctive handwriting style is a form of self-expression. It’s a way to make your mark literally.

Don’t you agree that receiving a handwritten note makes people feel valued, respected, and closer to the sender? this is actually backed by studies. Professor Sara Algoe, who studies relationships, found that the physical act of someone taking time to write by hand creates an emotional impact that typed messages can’t replicate.

It might also be the reason huge brands such as Dior hire professional people with cursive and calligraphy skills to write their invitations. 

But seriously…when you write someone a thank-you note, a birthday card, or even just a quick message in cursive, it says, “You matter enough for me that I wrote this myslef.” and it’s not just a typical printed card. I think we have to bring this kind of caring back.

We spend a lot of our time in front of screens and doom scrolling through social media, but cursive writing give us quite something different. That’s why We at Writey decided to combine something classic and traditional like cursive with the world of apps and create Writey app so you don’t have to bring pen and paper with you any time you wanna practice. All of it in in your iPad.

Cursive provides a valuable break from screens and encourages a different mode of learning and creativity. The break from social media combined with the opportunity to learn a skill creates a productive use of time that doesn’t involve endless scrolling.

Kids can use the same devices they’re already interested in to learn cursive through apps, but in a way that’s educational and skill-building rather than passive consumption. It’s a smart way to redirect screen time into something beneficial.

I think we can all agree that there’s something really calming about writing in cursive. The continuous flow, the rhythm of the moving our hands, it needs focus and presence (unlike a lot of the things we do these days). Handwriting expert Dr. Marc Seifer, author of “The Definitive Book of Handwriting Analysis,” notes that writing by hand can have a calming effect.

This is probably why so many people keep journals. The act of writing by hand slows you down and makes you more mindful of what you’re expressing. It’s a form of meditation that also happens to improve your handwriting and cognitive skills.

Let’s talk about grades and test scores, because that’s what gets educators’ attention.

Studies suggest that students who learn cursive may perform better in reading and writing overall. The skills developed through cursive practice, motor control, spatial awareness, letter recognition, letter-sound connections, all of these transfer to other academic areas.

A 2019 study found that handwriting instruction was essential for academic success. Schools that eliminated cursive saw students struggling with tasks that required sustained writing, note-taking, and composition. When cursive came back, performance improved.

Students who write by hand stay more engaged with material. They can’t zone out and mindlessly type, they have to actively participate in forming each letter and word. This increased engagement leads to better understanding and retention of information.

There’s also evidence that the physical act of writing helps students synthesize information better. When you’re writing, you’re forced to summarize and rephrase rather than transcribe verbatim. This deeper processing leads to better learning outcomes.

Beyond academics, cursive has real-world applications that matter throughout life.

This seems obvious, but think about it: your signature is supposed to be unique and difficult to forge. A cursive signature is far more secure than printing your name or making some random shape. Being able to write your name in clear, consistent cursive is a practical skill you’ll use for the rest of your life.

Contracts, legal documents, checks, credit card receipts, all of these require signatures. Having a proper cursive signature is both more professional and more secure.

Now I’m not really sure we all agree on this one, but I think handwritten thank-you notes, birthday cards, and personal letters are still important. It shows you actually cared.

Being able to write these in neat, legible cursive makes you stand out. It shows thoughtfulness, effort, and attention to detail.

By January 2025, 25 states had brought cursive writing back to elementary school classrooms. This isn’t a small trend, it’s a movement.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law requiring cursive instruction for first through sixth graders. New Hampshire passed legislation requiring schools to teach both cursive and multiplication tables. Texas, South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, Florida, they all jumped on board.

Even Canada, which had tried dropping cursive, brought it back in 2023. The Ontario Ministry of Education reinstated cursive handwriting instruction, and now other regions are looking to them for guidance.

What changed everyone’s minds? The research. The evidence became too strong to ignore. Teachers saw the cognitive benefits. Parents wanted their kids to be able to read family documents. Neuroscientists provided hard data about brain development. And honestly, in a world where kids spend too much time on social media, getting them to put pen to paper started looking really good.

Okay, so here’s where things get interesting. What if you could get not only all the benefits of cursive worksheets like the structure, the guidance, and the practice, without all those frustrating limitations, BUT ALSO with a lot more for creativity, customization and beautiful design and more?

That’s exactly what we did with Writey, and I’m genuinely excited to tell you about it because it solves so many of the problems for us worksheet people that I just talked about.

Now let’s be clear! Writey is not a worksheet generator, it’s a lot better and more than that! but it DOES let you generate worksheet as many times as you like. Writey is a complete cursive learning platform that actually understands how people learn to write in cursive. We designed Writey so that it makes the whole process way more engaging and personalized than any stack of printed worksheets could ever be.

Here’s something you don’t get with traditional worksheets: choice. Writey gives you three different cursive fonts to practice with, and this isn’t just about variety for variety’s sake. Different cursive styles emphasize different aspects of cursive writing, and being exposed to multiple styles actually makes you a more versatile cursive writer.

All of this also depends on which cursive font you want to learn. You can find out which one is best for you in Writey. We have three cursive fonts and each covers one cursive level: Simple Cursive perfect for anyone who wants to begin the learning process or just wants to add a little flair to their handwriting.

Cursive font for the medium level hardness, more complicated than Simple Cursive, and simpler than Cursive Pro.

Cursive Pro is for those of you brave enough to jump into something complex yet absoloutely beautiful. I personally LOVE Cursive Pro and it’s the one I’m trying to learn.

Take each letter slowly. Don’t just look at what the final letter looks like, watch how it’s actually formed. Which stroke comes first? Where does the pen curve? How do you transition to the next letter?

This is where I can say that Writey can help you in the best way possible. The letters section shows you looping animations of each letter being written. You can watch the exact hand movement over and over until your brain gets it. You’re not guessing based on a static picture in a workbook, you’re watching the actual technique in motion and copying that movement.

Okay, now you know individual letters and numbers. That’s great. But cursive is all about connecting those letters into words, and this is where most people struggle.

Some letter combinations flow naturally. Others are awkward and weird. You need to practice the connections specifically, not just hope they work out when you write words.

Each cursive letter has an entry stroke (where you start) and an exit stroke (where you finish). The exit stroke of one letter needs to flow smoothly into the entry stroke of the next letter. Sometimes this happens naturally. Sometimes you need to adjust slightly to make it work.

For example, connecting “o” to “n” is smooth. Connecting “o” to “r” is trickier because of how the “r” starts. These quirks are what you need to practice.

Start with two-letter combinations. Then move to three-letter combos. Pay attention to how your pen transitions. These little adjustments are what make cursive look natural instead of forced.

Here’s where cursive really comes alive: connecting letters together to form words. This is what makes cursive flow like a beautiful river across your page.

Practice Common Letter Pairs

Start with letter combinations you see frequently:

• ‘or’: Practice connecting the ‘o’ to the ‘r’ smoothly
• ‘an’: The ‘a’ should flow naturally into the ‘n’
• ‘ing’: A very common ending that needs smooth transitions

Or you can try our combinations in Writey and then move the connecting different letters.

Tricky Connections

Some letter pairs need extra attention:

• ‘be’: The ‘b’ to ‘e’ connection can be challenging
• ‘ve’: Making the ‘v’ flow into ‘e’ requires practice

Remember: the tail of one letter should blend seamlessly into the beginning of the next. Think of it as one continuous line with letter shapes along the way.

Cursive is all about flow. Unlike print, you don’t pick your pen up between each letter. It’s a one-line symphony.

Start combining pairs like:

• or
• an
• ing

Then move to common words like:

• the
• and
• but

Watch where each letter ends and where the next begins. Think of it like passing the baton in a relay race, no awkward stops.

Remember how I mentioned the progression problem with downloaded worksheets? Writey completely solves that.

Writey has built-in journeys specifically designed for anyone learning cursive. It literally doesn’t matter if you’re a kid just starting out or an adult who wants to make the process actually fun. Instead of wondering “what should I practice next?” you’ve got a clear roadmap laid out for you.

You start with the basics and progressively work through more challenging material in a logical order. No more jumping around confused. No more guessing if you’re ready for the next level. The journey guides you step by step, building your skills methodically. And honestly, there’s something motivating about following a path and seeing your progress along the way.

This is where Writey gets seriously practical. There’s a feature called “My Words” that lets you create worksheets with any words you want. Any. Words. You. Want.

Think about how game-changing this is. If you’re practicing your signature, you can create a worksheet with your actual name. If you’re a teacher and your students are learning specific spelling words this week, you can generate a cursive worksheet with those exact words. If you’re working on a letter to someone and there are particular words you want to write beautifully, you can practice just those words.

The customization here is limitless. You’re not stuck tracing the same words for the thousandth time, you’re practicing words that matter to your life, your work, your learning goals. That relevance makes the practice so much more meaningful and effective.

Here’s the beautiful thing about Writey: all these features come together to let you create incredibly complete and customizable worksheets right when you need them.

You can adjust difficulty levels yourself, choose which font you want to work with, decide what content you’re practicing, and generate a fresh worksheet in seconds. It’s like having a personal cursive tutor who creates exactly what you need, exactly when you need it, without any of the hassle of searching through resources or settling for close-enough materials. You know what I’m saying?

The worksheets themselves maintain all the good stuff from traditional worksheets, clear letter formation, proper spacing guides, visual structure, but with total flexibility. You’re getting professional-quality practice materials that are completely tailored to you.

If you’re a bit lazy like me and like worksheets, but not enough to actually use your braincells to create one, don’t worry! Because we’ve added premade worksheets in writey for you guys as well. Sometimes you just want to practice cursive without having to decide what to practice and I totally get it.

Writey gets that too, which is why it comes with ready-made worksheet options that take all the decision-making off your plate.

There are A to Z Words worksheets that give you a complete vocabulary practice session, working through words alphabetically. It’s perfect when you want comprehensive practice that covers a wide range of letter combinations without having to think about it.

The Calendar Words worksheets focus on days of the week, months of the year, and other time-related vocabulary. This is incredibly practical because these are words you actually use regularly in real life. When you’re writing dates on cards, filling out forms, or keeping a planner, these are the exact words you’ll need to write confidently in cursive.

And then there are Practice Words collections, curated sets of common, useful words that give you well-rounded practice. These aren’t random words; they’re chosen to help you work on different letter combinations and connections that come up frequently in everyday cursive writing.

The beauty here is flexibility. Some days you want to practice your grocery list or your favorite quote using My Words or My Text. Other days you just want someone else to tell you what to practice so you can focus purely on the writing itself. Writey gives you both options, so you’re never stuck or overwhelmed trying to figure out what comes next.

But wait, it gets even better. Writey also has a “My Text” feature that takes customization to the next level.

With My Text, you can add any short or long text to your worksheet. We’re talking sentences, paragraphs, quotes you love, poems you want to write out beautifully, letters you’re planning to send, journal entries, literally anything you want to write in cursive.

Want to practice writing your wedding vows in beautiful cursive? Put them in My Text. Working on a thank-you note and want to make sure your cursive flows smoothly? Practice the exact text first. Teaching your kid cursive and want them to practice sentences from their favorite book? Done.

This feature transforms cursive practice from abstract drills into something deeply personal and practical. You’re not just learning cursive in theory; you’re learning to write the actual things you want to write.

If you missed out on cursive education, it’s not too late. Unlike subjects where you need years of foundational knowledge, cursive is something you can learn at any age with consistent practice.

Apps like Writey have made learning cursive more accessible than ever. You can practice on tablets with apps like Writey that combine traditional handwriting instruction with modern technology. There are looping animations that show you exactly how to form each letter. There are structured lessons that take you from basic strokes to full paragraphs. There’s instant feedback and progress tracking.

The key is consistency. Even just five to ten minutes of daily practice makes a huge difference. Start with lowercase letters, move to uppercase letters, practice connecting letters smoothly, then work on simple words and eventually full sentences.

It might feel awkward at first, your hand might get tired, and your early attempts probably won’t look like the examples. That’s completely normal. Cursive is a physical skill that requires muscle memory, and that takes time to develop. But stick with it, and you’ll see improvement faster than you think.