Start with a discussion about why you believe it to be important to learn how to write cursive. Show examples of letters or documents written by famous people in cursive, and then demonstrate the ways letters become linked together to create a fluid form of writing.
Proceed slowly. Just as teaching your child the alphabet and how to write basic letters take time, it will take time for your child to become accustomed to the unfamiliar forms these letters take. Begin with capital and lowercase "A," and give your child practice paper or an erasable board with lines to use. Spend about 15 minutes each day practicing one letter at a time.
Provide simple words or phrases to have your child copy once the alphabet has been mastered. Though the letters may now be somewhat more comfortable, the process of linking letters to create words in cursive is still a challenge. Encourage children to take their time when they practice writing each phrase. Consider lines like those used in typing classes, such as, "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" or something that utilizes a number of different types of letters but holds interest for your child.
Assign letter writing to grandparents, pen pals or other relatives who live far away. Encourage your child to write one letter per week to someone important using only cursive handwriting. Teach your child how to format the letter, where to put the date and how to sign it at the end. Practicing a signature can be a developmental milestone, because adults are required to include their own signatures on various paperwork. You can explain how important this last step is in becoming an adult.