What is the best pencil grip for writing?
Updated: Nov 19, 2021
Parents frequently keep an eye on all of the major parts of their children's education. Small nuances, such as the necessity of a strong pencil grip, might go missed even by the most attentive parents. But these developments are quite important for a child.
In this blog, we’re going to discuss the types of pencil grips, their importance, which is the proper grip, and at what age should a child be taught to write.
What stages do pencil grips go through?
Pencil grip development is thought to be divided into four stages:
Fisted hold: This is the grasp you might notice when your kid first picks up a thick crayon and places it on paper. It's a "fisted grasp" and your toddler will slide the crayon over the page by moving his or her shoulders.
Palmer grasps: As your child acquires more control over his or her arm and hand muscles, you'll notice them using the "palmer grasp". The pencil is, placed across the palm of the hand, and your child's elbow is slightly bent to the side. Your child's shoulder muscles are more stable, and he or she is using both arm and shoulder muscles to move the crayon around.
Five-finger pencil grasp: This is commonly mislabeled as an "immature" 5-finger pencil grasp- it's immature since it's not the three-finger grasp used in school, but it's completely mature for a four year old! The wrist is frequently helped off the table with this 5-finger pencil grip, and wrist movements are used for coloring. Initially, the crayon is gripped quite securely, but you should notice a few more finger motions as the hand muscles grow.
Tripod pencil grasp: By age 5-6, or perhaps a little later for some youngsters, they should be able to use a tripod pencil grip, which involves clutching the pencil or crayon with the thumb, middle, and index fingers.
What Is The Proper Grasp For A Pencil?
A good pencil grip allows a child to do the following:
Move their fingers (rather than your entire hand, wrist, or arm) because their fingers are more efficient at controlling the pencil.
Finish a writing or painting assignment without becoming tired.
Handle writing or drawing work with care.
According to studies, being able to use the small muscles of the hand and fingers plays an important role in a child's handwriting, therefore it seems logical that the pencil grip should allow for such finer finger movements. Because an immature or inadequate pencil grip tends to inhibit finger movements, the youngster must write by moving from the wrist or the arm.
What are the benefits of using the proper pencil grip?
A good pencil grip, for example, helps with legibility, letter formation, speed, and endurance. A good pencil grip is one that allows you to control the writing tool only with your fingers. When the pinky side of the hand maintains the entire hand against the writing surface, the remaining fingers are free to grasp and move the pencil, pen, or crayon.
Holding a pencil or pen correctly demands dexterity and strong finger and hand muscles. A good pencil grip allows the writer to move his or her fingers, allowing for effective control of the pencil or pen. The ability to appropriately hold a pencil can have an impact on a child's attitude toward learning and schoolwork, as well as their academic achievement and motor/joint development. Incorrect pencil grip is uncomfortable and quickly exhausts the child's hand and arm.
Which of the pencil grips are the most mature?
The mature dynamic tripod grasp has long been suggested by occupational therapists and educators. This grip gives you the best control over your pencil. In children with legible handwriting, variations of this hold (lateral tripod, dynamic quadrupod, adapted tripod) are widespread. It's best to use a grip with an open web area between the thumb and fingers.
At what age should a youngster be taught to write?
We may believe that children don't learn to write until they reach kindergarten age, but according to a 2017 study, toddlers begin to learn writing abilities as early as age three. Children learned to write only after they learned what sounds each letter represented, according to child development specialists. For example, after a youngster learns how to say "A," they can associate that sound with a letter and then begin writing the letters representing sounds. Children learn the principles of writing before they understand which letters reflect which sounds, according to researchers.
Between the ages of 6 and 7, a “correct” pencil grip should form, with the thumb, index, and middle fingers controlling the pencil. To ensure that children gain this understanding, it is critical to track their progress beginning at a young age to verify that they are improving and progressing toward a correct grasp.
While it is critical to assist youngsters in avoiding dysfunctional pencil grasps, it is equally critical that their caretakers know that a kid will go through several stages before obtaining the ideal tripod grip. If you still feel the need to consult an occupational therapist, you can visit us here and know more.
We hope you liked our blog! Let us know what you think about it!
Daffodil Health is creating an ecosystem to help families and parents of kids with special needs. In the same endeavor, we have launched parent training events and a marketplace for learning aids, toys, and much more.
Follow the link to know about all the Upcoming Parent Training Events.
Follow this link to look at all the products that can be helpful for your child.
Hope you find all the resources useful. If you want to contribute to Daffodil Health's mission or become a part of the team, please reach out to team@daffodilhealth.com. We would love to get you onboard and work together towards unlocking the 10% workforce potential.