Getting children across the UK and Ireland writing, with over £14,000 worth of prizes
Recognising the importance of handwriting in children’s development, BIC has unveiled the very first Handwriting Olympiad. Launched in partnership with Start-Bee, which helps children to write effortlessly and enjoyably, the competition aims to get primary school children writing simply by asking them to complete the sentence, “I love being able to write because…”.
Hosted on the Teachers’ Corner section of the recently developed BIC® Kids website, the competition gives primary school children across the UK and Ireland the chance to win an array of prizes including expert handwriting support for fellow pupils and teachers and writing tools worth over £14,000. With prizes for more than 20 schools up for grabs, teachers and parents are being encouraged to inspire their children to put pen to paper.
Mishka Smith, Stationery Trade Marketing Manager at BIC UK, said: “The ability to creatively express one’s thoughts and feelings by putting pen to paper is perhaps the most important stage in a child’s development, and we can’t wait to see pupils’ interpretations of why writing is so important to them. Having recently unveiled new packaging for our BIC® Kids Range, proudly displaying a ‘Recommended by teachers’* stamp, we firmly believe that we have some of the best products on the market to encourage children to write and express themselves, and we hope our Olympiad does just that.”
Melanie Harwood, Start-Bee’s Founder, said: “Start-Bee is excited to be part of BIC’s campaign to inspire children to love handwriting. Right now, one in three children in the UK is struggling to write properly – an alarming statistic when you consider that handwriting, not typing, is a skill that is fundamental to unlocking a child’s potential in life. Alongside reading and maths, writing is one of the three key skills everyone needs to master if they are to cope in the adult world. To have a career, to take charge of financial affairs and to live independently largely hinge on an individual’s ability to read, write and add-up. Not only does the ability to write legibly make the school curriculum accessible to a child, it also unlocks a career path and the potential for people to choose their own futures. Nobody should be written off and Start-Bee is on a mission to change all that, which is why we are delighted to be involved in the BIC Handwriting Olympiad.”
Understanding the importance of using high quality writing and colouring instruments to aid the early stages of child development, BIC specifically created the BIC® Kids range for learning. Designed by experts and tested by primary teachers, parents and children, the writing instruments have proven to be comfortable for children to hold and allow freedom of movement for kids to learn and develop handwriting whilst building necessary motor skills.
The Learners range includes a BIC® Kids Ball Pen, BIC® Kids Mechanical Pencil and BIC® Kids Graphite Pencil, all of which are available in blue and pink barrel and are suitable for both right and left-handers. The range supports children’s hands, helping them to join letters with ease and craft words to inspire young writers and encourage creativity.
With the specially designed kids’ corner, featuring more than 300 activities including folding exercises, colouring sheets, handwriting tips and memory games, www.bickids.co.uk gives pupils the perfect opportunity to stretch their creative skills. Parents and teachers can also get involved, with their own dedicated areas featuring the latest in child development news and activity ideas to get their child’s creative juices flowing.
The BIC Handwriting Olympiad closes on 31st July. The first 20 schools to enter will receive a BIC® Kids Gift Box and winners are due to be announced on 31st August 2015. For more information, please visit http://teachers.bickids.com/uk.
