| Does your child hold his pencil or crayon with a "death | | | | you do to help facilitate these grips? The most |
| grip?" Does she hold it too lightly or touch it only with | | | | effective GRIP TIP is to throw away all long and thick |
| the tips of her fingers? Does your child complain that | | | | writing implements. Children have small hands and |
| his hand hurts so he can not complete his assignments | | | | should use small writing implements. I strongly |
| at school? | | | | recommend that you break all of your crayons into |
| As an occupational therapist in a school district I often | | | | halves or thirds. Use golf pencils and sharpen them so |
| see children using inappropriate grips when writing. | | | | that they are 2-3 inches long. Many parents and |
| Why is a pencil grip so important? An appropriate | | | | teachers are often shocked when they are asked to |
| pencil grip will directly impact your child's handwriting. If | | | | do this "silly" act. However, the result is usually well |
| his/her hand becomes tired too quickly, they will not | | | | worth it. If a writing implement is long or tall there is |
| want to hand write. Kids will try to avoid handwriting | | | | room for the child to hold it with all kinds of whacky |
| altogether, which ultimately affects their academics. | | | | grips. If the implement is short, there is only room for |
| There are developmental stages to grips, just like a | | | | the first three fingers to hold it. This will ultimately |
| child learns to crawl before they walk. The first stage | | | | encourage a perfect tripod grip! |
| is to hold the writing implement like a fist, which is called | | | | Now that you know how to promote dexterity when |
| a gross grip. This is increasing the strength and stability | | | | writing, what happens when the child seems to lack |
| in the pinky side of the hand. Stability is extremely | | | | stability? Typically a lack of stability is indicated by very |
| important when the child is expected to write for long | | | | sloppy writing, print is very faint, or the child has |
| periods of time years after this is developed. The | | | | difficulty writing on the line. The other possibility is that |
| second stage is to hold the pencil with a digital pronate | | | | the child is trying to compensate for their lack of |
| grip. This is where the child holds the pencil at its tip | | | | stability by holding onto their pencil with a "death grip." |
| with his thumb and forefinger and the palm of his hand | | | | This is when a child may overlap their fingers over |
| is on top of the shaft of the pencil. This is increasing | | | | other fingers. For example, a child may wrap his thumb |
| the strength and dexterity in the first three fingers of | | | | across the front of the pencil and his index finger. This |
| the hand. Dexterity is extremely important to improve | | | | ultimately causes a tight webspace. The child will tend |
| fluidity and efficiency when writing. The third stage is to | | | | to write with very hard pressure, break the tip of the |
| hold the pencil at the tip with the eraser pointing up and | | | | pencil, or complain of hand pain after only a few |
| the shaft of the pencil rests in the space between the | | | | minutes. An effective GRIP TIP to promote stability is |
| thumb and forefinger. This space is called the | | | | to tuck a small object into the palm so that the last |
| webspace. The webspace should be open and loose | | | | two fingers have to hold the object. Any object would |
| so as not to cause stress in the hand. In addition, the | | | | suffice, as long as it is comfortable to the child. A |
| last 2 fingers of the hand should be tucked into the | | | | popular item is to use a penny and call it a "magic |
| palm for stability (which was learned in stage one). At | | | | penny." |
| this time it is typical for the child to move his hand as a | | | | Please keep in mind that these techniques may cause |
| unit. He may also use his entire arm when coloring. This | | | | hand fatigue when your child first attempts to use |
| is acceptable if it is functional for his/her developmental | | | | them. This is because your child's muscles have |
| age level. The following stages incorporate this tripod | | | | already been trained in performing a certain way. You |
| grip. However, the main goal is to move only the tips of | | | | are ultimately retraining your child's muscles. However, |
| the fingers while the arm and wrist are stable. | | | | once your child's muscles adapt, your child's |
| Now that you know the progression of grips, what can | | | | handwriting will be on its way to success! |