Teaching your child functional pencil grip

Pencil grip

The ideal pencil grip is called a dynamic tripod grasp. The pencil is held between the thumb and index finger and the pencil rests on the middle finger.

A good pencil grips needs to be established by the time your child goes to school.

This is the ideal pencil grip.



Functional pencil grip demonstrated by one of my students


There are several different pencil grip positions children can develop but it is important to try to modify the pencil grasp as early as possible so that issues with hand pain/ache and other issues don't continue later on. 

The picture below depicts poor pencil grip where the thumb wraps around the pencil and the other fingers. This particular pencil grip usually leads to hand pain and an aching wrist as one begins to write more and more. The thumb wraps causes excess muscles to be unnecessarily used in an attempt to control the pencil.

Poor pencil grip and good pencil grip

One strategy to teach pencil grip..............

Goal: I can hold my pencil correctly 

Activities: Teaching correct method (thumb pinches pencil, pointer sits on top and middle finger sits at the side of the pencil), hand over hand guidance and practise.

Strategy:

Peter the Pilot Pencil Grip Story

1. Peter Pilot sits on top of pencil. Peter is the pilot and he flies the plane. (Have your child find their pointer finger and place it on top of the pencil). Peter controls the pencil.

2. Have your child find their thumb and have them pinch the pencil. Polly ‘Thumb’ pinches pencil and helps Peter fly/control the plane.

3. Sam supports the pencil underneath (have your child find his middle finger and place it underneath the pencil). Thumb and middle finger hold the pencil. 

4. Now take time to practise this position.


Recommended pencils to learn on:

The best pencils to practise pencil grip is using tripod pencils that are triangular in shape and allow a more easily formation of the index finger, thumb and middle finger to take their place.

Available from most supermarkets and stationery stores.

Triangular Pencils

Enjoy practising with your child. Remember practise makes perfect.

 

Lisa x