Why is Pencil Grip so important!

Pencil grasp development begins at a much earlier age than you may think. The moment your child begins grasping objects with their hands, they are developing a pencil grasp. Children move through different stages of pencil grasp as they grow. Learning how to grasp a pencil efficiently can be very challenging for little hands. Some children tend to hold a pencil too tightly or with an immature grasp. An inefficient pencil grasp can affect a child’s academic performance and/or cause fatigue and pain. When children realize they are struggling with writing and cannot keep up, this can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, and frustration. Let’s face it, we as adults may have an inefficient pencil grasp! Improving a child’s pencil grasp earlier rather than later can prevent poor habits from being formed (and future headaches and financial costs).
The most efficient pencil grip is the dynamic tripod pencil grip – where the pencil is held with the index finger and thumb, with the pencil resting against the middle finger.
An efficient pencil grip involves in-hand manipulation, open webspace, and adequate hand and finger strength.

How to help your child develop a good pencil grip?

• Roll small balls of play doh between fingers

• Squeeze spray bottles

• Threading strings or beads

• Use tongs or tweezers to pick up small household items

• Peeling stickers

• Use short pencils/crayons during colouring

• Use stamps

​Esmie Human
Occupational Therapist