|
HANDWRITING
FONTS
FOR
TEACHING KIDS TO WRITE
|
"Kid
Letters": a
font family specifically
designed to teach children how to write.
The fonts are based on the D'Nealian style of handwriting.
The fonts are based on the D'Nealian style of handwriting.
Professor of classical languages.
Plasencia. Spain. November 2009
INTRODUCTION
If
you're looking
for fonts which mimic lettering used to teach printed letters and
hadwriting skills,
you have come to the right place.
The so-called "Kid Letters" is a complete set of fonts for teachers and parents which make it fun and easy to teach writing skills to kids.
These fonts have been developed to assits teachers and parents teaching handwriting.
The "Kid Letters" fonts give you resources to help students develop:
- Pattern movements and other basic motor skills.
- Proficiency in letter formation and shaping.
- Appropriate letter size and spacing.
The complete set includes dotted fonts, fonts with arrows, with guidelines etc.
With these fonts, you can create your own exercises and study books with the phrases and curriculum that you consider most appropriate for learning handwriting. These fonts have been created with the help of teachers to ensure best results and ease of use. Nevertheless, note that my aim is not to substitute the school workbooks. The fonts are intended to be a supplement to them.
They work within any Windows, Linux or Macintosh standard application and can be used with such programs as Microsoft Word, Claris Works, Apple Works, TexEdit, AbiWord, OpenOffice, WordPad and so on. For more information, please see below.
The D'Nealian system was designed as a method to alleviate the problems with teaching children the standard Zaner-Bloser script method and the subsequent difficulty in transition to cursive writing. D'Nealian script was unique in that the manuscript form has many similarities to the cursive version. With D'Nealian manuscript, there's hardly any transition. That's the feature that has made this handwriting method the favorite of teachers in USA. All yo do is add a few simple joining strokes and - presto- you're writing in D'Nealian cursive.
A school district usually decides to teach one style. If you have a child who is not yet attending school and is ready to write, call the school office or contact the kindergarten teacher to learn the handwriting style used. Naturally you always have the option of teaching your child another method style, but it can be a needless frustration for the child.
Homeschool parents have more options. Take time to familiarize yourself with the various styles. Most start with a manuscript form for the first several years, then move into a cursive form.
Whatever hadwriting style your children use, please make handwriting practice fun!
The "Kid Letters" set of fonts belongs to the D'Nealian manuscript style of hadwriting.
The "Kid Letters" family includes 8 different fonts with the ability to trace dots, lines, arrows and a combination of these. Please see samples below.
These manuscript fonts contain all the common signs, as well as accented characters - acute accent, grave accent, circumflex, tilde, diaeresis or umlaut mark, ring, cedilla, ae and oe ligatures, o slash and German double s - for Western European languages (Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch, Danish, Norvegian, Swedish and Icelandic, among others) and current symbols.
The "Kid Letters" typefaces offer a family of 8 font styles suited to all exercise sheets and workbooks: plain, bold (heavy), dotted, with tracing arrows, with or without guidelines.
This typographic pack contains fonts covering all the method's curriculum.
Here are samples of "Kid Letters" and a brief description of each of the handwriting fonts.
1.- DN Kid Letters. Upright manuscript font without guidelines. This font is the basic.
2.- DN Kid Letters Bold. Upright manuscript font without guidelines. This font can be used by the teacher to stress indications.
3.- DN Kid Letters Guided. Upright manuscript font with four guidelines (ruled lines).
4.- DN Kid Letters Arrows. Upright manuscript font with tracing arrows for beginners. Arrows give hints about how to start letters.
5.- DN Kid Letters with Dots and Arrows. Upright manuscript dotted font with arrows and stroke numbers which offer guidance in direction and sequence.
6.-DN Kid Letters Dotted. Upright manuscript dotted font for tracing.
7.- DN Kid Letters Dotted and Guided. Upright manuscript dotted font with four guidelines (ruled lines).
8.- DN Kid Letters with Arrows and Lined. Upright manuscript font with four guidelines (ruled lines) and arrows.
These guided fonts have been designed so that the guidelines print out at the same time as the letters.
To create continuous lines without letters (only guidelines) use the logical sign (key ¬) or the vertical line (key |).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teach children how to write numbers and the alphabet by tracing the characters of these dotted fonts.
Make writing a connect-the-dot game using a dotted font. Creating your own worksheets is fun and will often produce an enthusiastic response from your children!
These fonts for children offer a unique material to let children experiment and discover the first letterforms. Teach your child to write the fun way.
Start with the kid's name, then progress to the names of everyone in the family, favourite teddies and friends, and then on to easy words and so son. Type your words in large letters.
There is no theorical limit to the size of letters, besides the practical limit of the application used to manage layout. They can be printed very big to post on the blackboard, for instance.
Like any standard font, the "Kid Letters" family of fonts can be used in colors for personalized layouts and color-coded exercises.
Use color to make the worksheets appealing, and add small images using clipart from within Word or from graphic sites on the net.
For further information about these fonts including more visual examples and worksheets, please read the User's Manual (16 pages, PDF format) included in the package you can download below.
Make sure you have the most current driver update
In fact, this product is not really a program. It is a set of 8 fonts to be used with other applications.
These are standard fonts (8 bits, TTF format), so they can be used running any Windows version and any word processor.
You can also use them running Linux. I have successfully tried them under Debian with OpenOffice.
These fonts should be usable on Macintosh running OSX9 and OSX. This is not a problem, since Mac recognizes PC TrueType fonts without complaint.
In any case, if you are very interested and you wish to get a Mac version of these fonts (bin and dfont formats), I can produce them in a Mac native format for you.
Installation is very easy, simply copy and paste the font files into your Fonts folder located somewhere in your hard disk (Library/Fonts in a Mac or Windows/Fonts in a PC).
After installation they can be used in any program such as word processing or graphic programs, like any other standard font. Simply access the font list and you will see the new fonts appear with the existing fonts from before.
Select the font you wish from the font list, (a dotted font, for instance), choose the correct size*, enter the sequences for your child to trace and print. Your child can then begin to connect the dots and learn the shape of the letters and numbers.
*You may use large sizes for better display (suggested size-30 points or up).
SUGGESTIONS AND QUERIES
I have taken
care to see that these fonts work as well as possible, nevertheless, if
you find any fault, feel free to email me.
Although you do not purchase the fonts, please, send me comments, suggestions for improvements or anything else regarding my "Kid Letters" fonts. I would like to know your opinion about my work.
I really would appreciate having users' feedback.
Such reaction from users will be the deciding factor in my decision of carrying on with the development of more fonts for kids (for Zaner-Bloser style, for example). Do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks.
The so-called "Kid Letters" is a complete set of fonts for teachers and parents which make it fun and easy to teach writing skills to kids.
These fonts have been developed to assits teachers and parents teaching handwriting.
The "Kid Letters" fonts give you resources to help students develop:
- Pattern movements and other basic motor skills.
- Proficiency in letter formation and shaping.
- Appropriate letter size and spacing.
The complete set includes dotted fonts, fonts with arrows, with guidelines etc.
With these fonts, you can create your own exercises and study books with the phrases and curriculum that you consider most appropriate for learning handwriting. These fonts have been created with the help of teachers to ensure best results and ease of use. Nevertheless, note that my aim is not to substitute the school workbooks. The fonts are intended to be a supplement to them.
They work within any Windows, Linux or Macintosh standard application and can be used with such programs as Microsoft Word, Claris Works, Apple Works, TexEdit, AbiWord, OpenOffice, WordPad and so on. For more information, please see below.
HANDWRITING
STYLES
Handwriting or penmanship is the art of writing with the
hand and a writing instrument. Different styles of writing have been
popular at different times and in different countries. Styles of
handwriting are also called hands or
scripts. There are a variety
of handwriting styles. The most important methods for teaching children
to write (at least in USA) are the Zaner-Bloser method and the
D'Nealian system. Starting at the begining of the 20th century
Zaner-Bloser became the dominant method in North America. Starting in
the early sixties, the D'Nealian system from the begining has gained
popularity in many school districts in the United States.The D'Nealian system was designed as a method to alleviate the problems with teaching children the standard Zaner-Bloser script method and the subsequent difficulty in transition to cursive writing. D'Nealian script was unique in that the manuscript form has many similarities to the cursive version. With D'Nealian manuscript, there's hardly any transition. That's the feature that has made this handwriting method the favorite of teachers in USA. All yo do is add a few simple joining strokes and - presto- you're writing in D'Nealian cursive.
A school district usually decides to teach one style. If you have a child who is not yet attending school and is ready to write, call the school office or contact the kindergarten teacher to learn the handwriting style used. Naturally you always have the option of teaching your child another method style, but it can be a needless frustration for the child.
Homeschool parents have more options. Take time to familiarize yourself with the various styles. Most start with a manuscript form for the first several years, then move into a cursive form.
Whatever hadwriting style your children use, please make handwriting practice fun!
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
"KID
LETTERS" FONTS
As mentioned above there are many
styles of handwriting, including: cursive, manuscript, Italic etc, each
with its own letter formation and variation.The "Kid Letters" set of fonts belongs to the D'Nealian manuscript style of hadwriting.
The "Kid Letters" family includes 8 different fonts with the ability to trace dots, lines, arrows and a combination of these. Please see samples below.
These manuscript fonts contain all the common signs, as well as accented characters - acute accent, grave accent, circumflex, tilde, diaeresis or umlaut mark, ring, cedilla, ae and oe ligatures, o slash and German double s - for Western European languages (Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch, Danish, Norvegian, Swedish and Icelandic, among others) and current symbols.
The "Kid Letters" typefaces offer a family of 8 font styles suited to all exercise sheets and workbooks: plain, bold (heavy), dotted, with tracing arrows, with or without guidelines.
This typographic pack contains fonts covering all the method's curriculum.
Here are samples of "Kid Letters" and a brief description of each of the handwriting fonts.
1.- DN Kid Letters. Upright manuscript font without guidelines. This font is the basic.
2.- DN Kid Letters Bold. Upright manuscript font without guidelines. This font can be used by the teacher to stress indications.
3.- DN Kid Letters Guided. Upright manuscript font with four guidelines (ruled lines).
4.- DN Kid Letters Arrows. Upright manuscript font with tracing arrows for beginners. Arrows give hints about how to start letters.
5.- DN Kid Letters with Dots and Arrows. Upright manuscript dotted font with arrows and stroke numbers which offer guidance in direction and sequence.
6.-DN Kid Letters Dotted. Upright manuscript dotted font for tracing.
7.- DN Kid Letters Dotted and Guided. Upright manuscript dotted font with four guidelines (ruled lines).
8.- DN Kid Letters with Arrows and Lined. Upright manuscript font with four guidelines (ruled lines) and arrows.
These guided fonts have been designed so that the guidelines print out at the same time as the letters.
To create continuous lines without letters (only guidelines) use the logical sign (key ¬) or the vertical line (key |).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teach children how to write numbers and the alphabet by tracing the characters of these dotted fonts.
Make writing a connect-the-dot game using a dotted font. Creating your own worksheets is fun and will often produce an enthusiastic response from your children!
These fonts for children offer a unique material to let children experiment and discover the first letterforms. Teach your child to write the fun way.
Start with the kid's name, then progress to the names of everyone in the family, favourite teddies and friends, and then on to easy words and so son. Type your words in large letters.
There is no theorical limit to the size of letters, besides the practical limit of the application used to manage layout. They can be printed very big to post on the blackboard, for instance.
Like any standard font, the "Kid Letters" family of fonts can be used in colors for personalized layouts and color-coded exercises.
Use color to make the worksheets appealing, and add small images using clipart from within Word or from graphic sites on the net.
For further information about these fonts including more visual examples and worksheets, please read the User's Manual (16 pages, PDF format) included in the package you can download below.
SOFTWARE
REQUIREMENTS,
INSTALLATION
AND USE
The "Kid
Letters" fonts are compatible with Windows (any version), Mac OS9 and
OSX, and Linux.Make sure you have the most current driver update
In fact, this product is not really a program. It is a set of 8 fonts to be used with other applications.
These are standard fonts (8 bits, TTF format), so they can be used running any Windows version and any word processor.
You can also use them running Linux. I have successfully tried them under Debian with OpenOffice.
These fonts should be usable on Macintosh running OSX9 and OSX. This is not a problem, since Mac recognizes PC TrueType fonts without complaint.
In any case, if you are very interested and you wish to get a Mac version of these fonts (bin and dfont formats), I can produce them in a Mac native format for you.
Installation is very easy, simply copy and paste the font files into your Fonts folder located somewhere in your hard disk (Library/Fonts in a Mac or Windows/Fonts in a PC).
After installation they can be used in any program such as word processing or graphic programs, like any other standard font. Simply access the font list and you will see the new fonts appear with the existing fonts from before.
Select the font you wish from the font list, (a dotted font, for instance), choose the correct size*, enter the sequences for your child to trace and print. Your child can then begin to connect the dots and learn the shape of the letters and numbers.
*You may use large sizes for better display (suggested size-30 points or up).
EXERCISE
SHEETS
FREE DOWNLOAD: EVALUATION VERSION OF "KID LETTERS" FONTS
Font
package 350 kb (Manual in PDF
format
+
3 Demo
fonts
)
This is a large file; therefore, please be patient!
IMPORTANT: Remember that you must unzip (extract) the files into a temporary directory and then install the fonts.
PRICE AND LICENSES
The "Kid Letters"
fonts allow teachers and parents to create custom hand-lettered
exercise sheets and
classroom
signage.
Doubtless these fonts will make your job so much easier since you will be able to build custom assignments for your kids and individualized practice sheets for each student in your classroom in minutes. They save a lot of preparation time.
On the other hand, children have a wonderful time using the "Kid Letters" fonts to tell stories. It gets them excited.
Click on the following link to see a document in PDF format (125 kb, 8 pages) which contains samples of worksheets created in Word with "Kid Letters". It will give you an idea of what you can create yourself with these fonts.
I recommend you to print it to see exactly how this will look on paper, because all these fonts are intended primarly for print and may not show as well on the screen. Please keep in mind that what you see is not always what you get. These typefaces are best rendered on the printer, so they print legibly, not to display at small sizes on the screen.
Doubtless these fonts will make your job so much easier since you will be able to build custom assignments for your kids and individualized practice sheets for each student in your classroom in minutes. They save a lot of preparation time.
On the other hand, children have a wonderful time using the "Kid Letters" fonts to tell stories. It gets them excited.
Click on the following link to see a document in PDF format (125 kb, 8 pages) which contains samples of worksheets created in Word with "Kid Letters". It will give you an idea of what you can create yourself with these fonts.
I recommend you to print it to see exactly how this will look on paper, because all these fonts are intended primarly for print and may not show as well on the screen. Please keep in mind that what you see is not always what you get. These typefaces are best rendered on the printer, so they print legibly, not to display at small sizes on the screen.
FREE DOWNLOAD: EVALUATION VERSION OF "KID LETTERS" FONTS
A
package which contains three "Kid Letters" fonts in demo version and an
extensive
user's manual
(16 pages) is
available
for free download from this site.
It will let you play with the fonts so you can see if they work for you before buying.
Please note that fonts in the package are identical to the complete product except that the watermark "TRYOUT" appears accompanying some letters.
Click on the link below to download the evaluation font package.
It will let you play with the fonts so you can see if they work for you before buying.
Please note that fonts in the package are identical to the complete product except that the watermark "TRYOUT" appears accompanying some letters.
Click on the link below to download the evaluation font package.
Font
package 350 kb (Manual in PDF
format
+
3 Demo
fonts
)This is a large file; therefore, please be patient!
IMPORTANT: Remember that you must unzip (extract) the files into a temporary directory and then install the fonts.
PRICE AND LICENSES
The
"Kid
Letters" font package is very cheap, really! A single user license
for the
complete set of 8 fonts costs
only $15, less than $2 per
font. It is a
real bargain!
With the single user license you are allowed to use the fonts at school and at home but not to share them with other teachers or friends. Other friends should purchase their own copy of the fonts. The font package is sent you as atttachment to an email message (electronic delivery). It is important that you have an account which can receive attachments.
I also offer the posibility to use the fonts for your whole school. A school site license allows all teachers at the school site to use the fonts at school and at home. This license costs only $90. For that moderate price, you will be allowed to install the fonts on all school's computers, as well as teacher's laptops and home computers. In this case, I can ship the fonts on CD to your postal address if you desire. The price includes the shipping and handling fees.
However, please note that price is for ONE school, and not for whole district. In this last case I offer discount for several schools. Please contact me for details.
Click on the corresponding button below to purchase the fonts online.
For other alternative methods of payment, please read the information given in the user's manual or email me for further details.
Whatever license you choose, please do not make illegal copies of this software. The software you are using was produced after months of effort and hard work. Properly purchasing and licensing the fonts will support this effort and will help the modest designer of these fonts get the just reward for his work. Thanks.
After making the payment you will receive the fonts as attachment to an email message sent to your email acount.
If you have questions or doubts, please do not hesitate to contact me.
This payment is being backed by PayPal®, a global leader in online payment solutions and credit card processing. To make payments with PapyPal is easy, fast, free and secure for buyers. Naturally, your transaction will be confidential and the information you give will not be used for any reason other than the use intended. PayPal protects your security.
Depending on your choice, click on the corresponding button below to purchase the "Kid Letters" fonts online. In order to avoid errors, please read carefully the information given below before clicking on the PayPal button to order. Please be careful with your choosing since depending on it you will get one item or other.
1) – Complete font package. Single user license. Delivery: Electronic only. The full package of 8 fonts costs US $15. The 8 "Kid Letters" fonts will be sent as attachment to your email account. With the single user license you are allowed to use the fonts at school and at home, but not to share them with other teachers or friends.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) – Complete font package. School site license. Delivery: Electronic or shipped on CD if requested. US $90. The complete package which contains all eight "Kid Letters" fonts + a cursive font (D'Nealian sytle) + character maps + a free PDF generator program + other useful font utilities (only Windows version) will be shipped on a CD to your postal address if you ask me to do so, if not, you will receive the fonts as attachment to an email message. As to the programs included in the CD, please read disclaimer below.
The fonts have not restrictions at all. All features are enabled. Even the embedding feature is allowed: this means that the fonts may be embedded in documents to produce PDF documents running Adobe Acrobat.
You also are entitled to use the font in a printed book or to produce electronic documents which can be uploaded into your web page.
For that moderate price, you will be allowed to install the fonts on all school's computers, as well as teacher's laptops and home computers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE :
1.- Whatever option you choose, please send me a message after making the payment through PayPal in order to confirm that you are really who ordered the font.
2.- In most cases I will reply to your message in due time (normally within a day or so), unless I was on holydays, then it will take a little more time, since I only will able to check my emails from time to time, (usually every five days, more or less or even a little more during the summer) so be patient, however, be sure that you will receive my response. Sorry for this inconvenience.
3.- The delivery period of a CDRom mailed to your postal address will take several days, evidently depending on your country. In most cases the CDRom will arrive at your home in approximately six days.
4.- Evidently, any modification or public distribution of these fonts is not permited under any circumstance.
Disclaimer: The aforementioned software bundled with the fonts on the CDRom is evidently freesoftware or shared programs which can be freely distributed and all documentations which the different authors provide remain intact. The original programs have not been altered at all. I do not charge users a fee for these programs.
With the single user license you are allowed to use the fonts at school and at home but not to share them with other teachers or friends. Other friends should purchase their own copy of the fonts. The font package is sent you as atttachment to an email message (electronic delivery). It is important that you have an account which can receive attachments.
I also offer the posibility to use the fonts for your whole school. A school site license allows all teachers at the school site to use the fonts at school and at home. This license costs only $90. For that moderate price, you will be allowed to install the fonts on all school's computers, as well as teacher's laptops and home computers. In this case, I can ship the fonts on CD to your postal address if you desire. The price includes the shipping and handling fees.
However, please note that price is for ONE school, and not for whole district. In this last case I offer discount for several schools. Please contact me for details.
Click on the corresponding button below to purchase the fonts online.
For other alternative methods of payment, please read the information given in the user's manual or email me for further details.
Whatever license you choose, please do not make illegal copies of this software. The software you are using was produced after months of effort and hard work. Properly purchasing and licensing the fonts will support this effort and will help the modest designer of these fonts get the just reward for his work. Thanks.
After making the payment you will receive the fonts as attachment to an email message sent to your email acount.
If you have questions or doubts, please do not hesitate to contact me.
ONLINE PAYMENT
If you own a
credit or debit card (Visa®, MasterCard®,
Discover® and
American Express®), you can pay online, which means purchase
can be
made in a matter of clicks.This payment is being backed by PayPal®, a global leader in online payment solutions and credit card processing. To make payments with PapyPal is easy, fast, free and secure for buyers. Naturally, your transaction will be confidential and the information you give will not be used for any reason other than the use intended. PayPal protects your security.
Depending on your choice, click on the corresponding button below to purchase the "Kid Letters" fonts online. In order to avoid errors, please read carefully the information given below before clicking on the PayPal button to order. Please be careful with your choosing since depending on it you will get one item or other.
1) – Complete font package. Single user license. Delivery: Electronic only. The full package of 8 fonts costs US $15. The 8 "Kid Letters" fonts will be sent as attachment to your email account. With the single user license you are allowed to use the fonts at school and at home, but not to share them with other teachers or friends.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) – Complete font package. School site license. Delivery: Electronic or shipped on CD if requested. US $90. The complete package which contains all eight "Kid Letters" fonts + a cursive font (D'Nealian sytle) + character maps + a free PDF generator program + other useful font utilities (only Windows version) will be shipped on a CD to your postal address if you ask me to do so, if not, you will receive the fonts as attachment to an email message. As to the programs included in the CD, please read disclaimer below.
The fonts have not restrictions at all. All features are enabled. Even the embedding feature is allowed: this means that the fonts may be embedded in documents to produce PDF documents running Adobe Acrobat.
You also are entitled to use the font in a printed book or to produce electronic documents which can be uploaded into your web page.
For that moderate price, you will be allowed to install the fonts on all school's computers, as well as teacher's laptops and home computers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE :
1.- Whatever option you choose, please send me a message after making the payment through PayPal in order to confirm that you are really who ordered the font.
2.- In most cases I will reply to your message in due time (normally within a day or so), unless I was on holydays, then it will take a little more time, since I only will able to check my emails from time to time, (usually every five days, more or less or even a little more during the summer) so be patient, however, be sure that you will receive my response. Sorry for this inconvenience.
3.- The delivery period of a CDRom mailed to your postal address will take several days, evidently depending on your country. In most cases the CDRom will arrive at your home in approximately six days.
4.- Evidently, any modification or public distribution of these fonts is not permited under any circumstance.
Disclaimer: The aforementioned software bundled with the fonts on the CDRom is evidently freesoftware or shared programs which can be freely distributed and all documentations which the different authors provide remain intact. The original programs have not been altered at all. I do not charge users a fee for these programs.
AUTHOR
Just in case you are wondering who is Juan-José Marcos,
click here
and you will find some
information
about the author of these fonts and this website.
More fonts designed by the same author here.
More fonts designed by the same author here.
SUGGESTIONS AND QUERIES
Although you do not purchase the fonts, please, send me comments, suggestions for improvements or anything else regarding my "Kid Letters" fonts. I would like to know your opinion about my work.
I really would appreciate having users' feedback.
Such reaction from users will be the deciding factor in my decision of carrying on with the development of more fonts for kids (for Zaner-Bloser style, for example). Do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks.
juanjmarcos
yahoo.es
Juan-José Marcos
Plasencia. Spain.
This page last updated on November 2009.
yahoo.esJuan-José Marcos
Plasencia. Spain.
This page last updated on November 2009.