“Go” fingers are the fingers on the pencil, and “stop” fingers go in the hand.
I had a sign with a picture of the green “go” fingers for writing and a red stop sign with a picture of the “stop” fingers. This was a little trick I used when I was working in the school system as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. This reminds the child to keep those fingers closed in their hand with the correct fingers on the pencil. The fingers that are not on the pencil hold onto a small pom-pom, coin, or bead. Using pom-poms, coins, or beads in the last two fingers.
THREE FINGER PENCIL GRIPS HOW TO
You particularly want to focus on fine motor activities that require them to imitate how to hold a pencil or strengthen the fingers used in a pincer grasp. I know it seems counterproductive to not have them practice with a pencil and paper to write, but for children of this age, working on fine motor activities and strengthening the fingers for handwriting is going to get you a lot farther than just route practicing with pencil and paper. Focus on Fine Motor and Hands-On Activities NOT Pencil and Paper. Here are some ways you can address pencil grasp concerns.ġ. 5 Tips for Correcting Your Child's Pencil Grasp That could include their pencil grasp or it could be something else. They will be able to look for any underlying issues that could be affecting your child's handwriting. It's important to have any concerns addressed by an Occupational Therapist. If your child is complaining of hand fatigue when writing and has slower writing speed or legibility issues, then addressing any pencil grasp concerns could be helpful. If your child is older, it's important to look at other factors that may be affecting their pencil grasp, such as hand strength, writing speed, and legibility. Pre-Kindergarten and the beginning of Kindergarten are the perfect times to help correct a child’s grip, typically because they are still learning how. However, if you do start to notice habits forming, it's important to address them. You should always model an efficient/functional grasp that is developmentally appropriate for your child's age. At what age should you correct a child's pencil grip? Part 1: Understanding and supporting pencil grasp development: 3-6 years.You can read more about pencil grasp development here. Writing forces associated with four pencil grasp patterns in grade 4 children. DOI: Effect of pencil grasp on the speed and legibility of handwriting in children. DOI: Occupational therapy - kids health information: Developing a pencil grip.Pencil grasp and children's handwriting legibility during different-length writing tasks. Basic and supplementary sensory feedback in handwriting. DOI: You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Occupational therapists specialize in life skills training, and one who works with children can help retrain any patterns or habits that are making handwriting harder. Your child’s doctor can do a neurological exam to see whether there’s a medical basis for the difficulty. Some are trained in testing for learning disabilities, and if your child goes to a public school, this testing may be free. If you’re concerned, you can find help here:
But, sometimes trouble with writing signals an underlying condition like ADHD or dyspraxia. Often, kids naturally outgrow gripping and handwriting issues. Next steps if a child is having trouble writing Most of these devices are meant for short-term use while a child is learning, but adults with arthritis may also find them useful. Some chunky, ergonomic varieties slide onto the barrel of the pencil and are notched where your fingers should be placed.Īnd still others offer elastic bands in a figure-eight shape, where the small end of the band wraps around the pencil tip and the larger end loops around your wrist. Some grips are flexible, containing one, two, or three pockets for your fingertips. If your child is having a difficult time establishing a mature pencil grasp or is using an inefficient grip - for example, one where the pencil extends up through the web between first and second fingers - a commercial pencil grip may help train the fingers into the desired position. Having to keep those fingers bent will encourage the dynamic tripod stance. You could also tuck a folded tissue under the fourth and fifth fingers, asking your child to hold it there while they pick up a pencil to write or draw.
If you’re moving your child away from a primitive palmar grip and toward a mature grip, you could try using a short pencil, which isn’t conducive to a palmar grip.
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