Callirobics: Handwriting Exercise Program to Music

Do you remember back in school where most of us had to practice circles and loops endlessly in the quiet of the classroom? Do you remember having your pen taken away from you and being told you had to write with a pencil until you got the loops right? Those are my memories of learning cursive writing, and they’re not really ‘yippee skippy’ memories.

In 1991 when I was at a Handwriting convention in the States, I was excited to be part of a presentation by Liora Laufer of Virginia who had developed a Handwriting Exercises program called Callirobics (Calli for ‘caligraphy’ and robics for ‘aerobic’ exercise). These wonderful exercises combine music and graphics of magical graphic formations like cat’s ears, dancing dollies and curly heads that combine with wonderfully upbeat and relaxed music to help children with their fine motor skills, their cursive writing and their confidence. I was so excited by what I saw that I immediately arranged to market and distribute Callirobics in Canada.

Many schools today push the children quite quickly from printing to the computer, not realizing the important brain/mind connections that cursive writing, marshal arts, etc. provide for the children. Handwriting is an important lifelong skill that doesn’t come easily to everyone. To smooth the transition for students, many teachers are using this innovative handwriting exercise program where the children draw patterns of set straight and curved lines while the Callirobics light music plays. Each written exercise has its own music and its own name, and the children learn to recognize what’s coming.

Not only do the children love the exercises, but when the actual letters are introduced as part of the cursive writing program, they can spot the patterns in the letters they learn. Not only do they learn the letters more quickly, but they don’t need a fraction of the remedial work that is usually necessary.

Not only does Callirobics help the children’s concentration, but it lengthens their attention span and boosts their self-esteem. Callirobics eases the way for the children to learn to write easily and with a great deal of fun. The music relaxes the children, gives them a rhythm for their exercises and makes the exercise fun instead of a tedious penmanship chore. It uses all the children’s senses: Those who learn best visually see the exercises and see their work as they do the exercises; those who work best through auditory instead of visual means let the music carry them into and with the exercises. Callirobics makes the children feel their hands are dancing.

Callirobics is excellent for all children, whether learning challenged, average or exceptional. I’ve had so many parents who have children with Downs Syndrome tell me how much their children love the music and how much it has helped them with their writing. Occupational Therapists have found Callirobics helps patients who have experience brain damage from strokes or accidents. They do the exercises on the wall with a flashlight or by moving their hands through the air.

Please e-mail me your address if you’d like a Callirobics information package! (hwriting@interlog.com)