| Early Learning |
This is often something that you don’t think about until your child begins to write or draw. However, it is something they can start working towards from very young. In a time where phones and tablets are so widely used, we are seeing more and more children having difficulty with their handwriting and pencil grip. ⠀
Getting children to practise using their ‘pincer grip’ is the beginning. A pincer grip is when you use your index finger and thumb to pick up a small object. This exercises the muscles in their fingers and wrist and begins the action for holding a pencil. ⠀
It is often very difficult to correct poor pencil grip. Poor pencil grip can lead to writing that is difficult to read or a child experiencing pain after writing for a short time. ⠀
If your child is still young enough you can start with some basic pincer grip activities. These can be as simple as eating peas or sultanas. They can collect little pom poms off a tray to put in a container (under supervision of course). ⠀
If you think your child’s grip is incorrect there is a trick that I’ve used with my students before. Place a marble in their palm. They need to only use their pinky and ring finger to hold it in place. Then the three remaining fingers are used to hold the pencil. The pencil needs to rest on the webbing between the index finger and thumb. This may be difficult at first but with practise they will begin to do it without the marble.