Cursive Is Fading, Is That’s OK?: The Shift from Script

When Eddie Bauer recently updated its classic cursive logo, it sparked some conversation online. The company explained that the old script no longer resonates with younger generations. For many of us who grew up with penmanship drills and pages of looped letters, this change might feel like a loss. However, it also reflects a broader shift in how young people read, write, and interact in today’s world.

Is cursive still taught in schools? It depends where you live in Canada. Provinces like Ontario require cursive instruction in elementary school, while others, such as British Columbia, leave it as optional or allow individual teachers to decide. There’s no national standard. This means many students might be able to read cursive, but not all will be comfortable writing it, and some may not be taught it at all.

This sometimes alarms parents and grandparents who see cursive as an essential skill. But the shift away from cursive is less about lowering educational standards, and more about aligning with how people actually communicate in today’s onlife world.

Be honest, how often do you use cursive? For us, the answer is “rarely.” Aside from signing our names, we don’t use it much anymore. Sure, we can still write it, but it’s not something many of us rely on day to day. That’s because the vast majority of communication be it personal, educational, and professional, is now typed or text based.

Emails, schoolwork, resumes, job applications, work documents, and even legal forms are completed on keyboards. In professions where handwritten notes were once the norm, like medicine and law, digital tools like tablets and voice-to-text have taken over. For kids preparing to enter that world, keyboarding and digital communication are far more relevant than cursive.

Brands evolve to stay culturally relevant. Eddie Bauer’s cursive logo may still feel timeless to older consumers, but for a generation raised on clean digital fonts, emojis, and touchscreens, it simply doesn’t land. The rebrand reflects how visual literacy is changing, and how companies are adapting to connect with today’s young consumer.

This isn’t just about logos. It’s about how we write, what we read, and what skills we prioritize in a blended digital-physical world. In today’s “onlife” reality, a term used to describe how online and offline lives have become intertwined, communication is fast, visual, and increasingly typed.

So does cursive still matter? Yes, to some extent. While it's no longer essential for most jobs or communication tasks, there are benefits to learning cursive:

• It can improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

• It’s helpful for reading historical documents, personal notes, or handwritten letters.

• Some kids enjoy cursive as a form of creative expression, journaling, or art.

As the role of cursive fades, it’s important to recognize that other essential skills are taking its place. Rather than mourning the loss of penmanship, parents can focus on preparing their children for the realities of modern communication. Here are a few ways to support that transition.

Start by focusing on keyboarding skills. 

Typing with speed and accuracy is a foundational skill in nearly every academic and professional setting today. Whether your child is writing an essay, completing a school project, or eventually entering the workforce, being comfortable on a keyboard is key. Tools like TypingClub or NitroType can make this kind of practice engaging, turning a potentially dry skill into a fun challenge. Consider setting aside 10–15 minutes a few times a week for your child to build typing fluency in a low-pressure way.

Encourage digital literacy as a core part of communication.

Knowing how to type is just one part of communicating effectively online. Kids also need to understand how tone comes across in writing, who their audience is, and how their words and actions leave a lasting digital footprint. For example, explain how a joke in a group chat might not be funny if taken out of context, or how a casually written email to a teacher might come across as disrespectful. Use everyday situations, texting family members, posting a photo, or sending an email, as teachable moments to model and discuss appropriate digital behaviour.

If your child is curious about cursive, introduce it informally.

There’s no need to create a structured curriculum, but you can offer cursive practice sheets, apps, or even let them write notes and decorate cards using cursive script. Let it be something they can explore creatively, not another skill they feel pressured to master. Some children may enjoy learning how to write their name in cursive, or trying to replicate the handwriting in an old birthday card from a grandparent. Keeping it low-stakes helps maintain interest and builds a connection to the past without overwhelming them.

The decline of cursive doesn’t mean kids are less capable, it just means the world they’re growing up in has changed. Eddie Bauer’s rebranding is one small signal of a broader cultural shift. As parents and caregivers, our role isn’t to cling to the past, but to prepare our kids for the future.

That future might not involve perfect loops and elegant script, but it will require adaptability, communication skills, and digital literacy. Those are the skills that matter most now, and our kids are already learning them.

Digital Food For Thought

The White Hatter

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