November 1, 2008 9:29 PM
Preschoolers: Writing instruments for little hands
Hey Barbara ; )Hope you are doing well : )
I'm wondering if you have a favorite pick for writing utensils for little hands : ) I would love to hear your thoughts!!!
thanks!
Shawnda
Here are several ideas. You could find these at any teacher supply store as well, but I've linked to Amazon so you can read the descriptions - and in case you want to order them through my site. Just click on the pictures below.
There are several types of pencil grips:
There are also beginner pencils which are a little bigger around to make it easier for the child to grasp:
And I found these , which look very intriguing as they are not only bigger, but also triangular in shape for an easier grip:
Some children will have no difficulty using a regular pencil from the get-go. But for those who need some transitional steps, these are good options. You do want to make the learning experience as comfortable as possible and to give your child the maximum chance for success.
Keep in mind that before a child ever picks up a pencil, he or she will be working on preparation through the simplest tasks - from picking up Cheerios from his high chair tray to sorting buttons (See Montessori Mondays: Pincer grasp) Which is why it's helpful for parents to understand and encourage the pincer grasp. A child who's had a lot of practice perfecting his pincer grasp will be all the more ready to write with a pencil.
Posted in Homeschooling, Montessori, Preschoolers, Toddlers | Permalink
Comments
We really like the pencil grips you've got there on the top left ~ the child can not hold a pencil incorrectly while using this grip.
Posted by: Tracy Loukota | November 1, 2008 10:24 PM
Our two year-old really liked triangular crayons. Crayola makes them, as do some other companies, and they are available on amazon.
Posted by: Molly | November 2, 2008 8:01 AM
My 8 year old with aspergers always struggled with fine motor skills and it didn't help that he was also a lefty which was a bit more difficult to teach from a right-handed perspective. Anyway, after many homemade adaptions put together by his occupational therapist, they discovered that the best pencil for him was a basic carpenters pencil. You can find them and the sharpeners that go with them at the check out at Home Depot. He would hold the pencil between his pointer and middle fingers and it allowed him to have the correct hand/arm position. After a few months of work he was able to transition easily to a regular pencil with the "normal" hold of the pencil. He now has wonderful handwriting and much improved fine motor skills ;)
Posted by: Margaret | November 2, 2008 10:43 AM
Barbara, Lyra Ferby Graphite pencils are made in both regular and short sizes, and they have a triangular round shape and are thicker than regular pencils. The triangular round shape means it is triangular, but the edges are rounded so it is subtle. The lead is SO THICK it is almost unbreakable which is really nice for a beginner. It writes smoothly. I beleive they are still sold on amazon.com The short version is perfect for children!
Posted by: Angela | November 3, 2008 9:44 PM
THANK YOU for your thoughts!!! This is very helpful and confirming : )
Posted by: shawnda | November 11, 2008 3:25 PM
