As children are growing their hands are getting muscles and we have to train them to know how to write, how to hold a pencil, pen, spoon, fork, marker, needle, straw, etc. Teaching a child how to write starts way before they hold a pencil. Often times, when a child comes into my classroom and is struggling to hold a pencil correctly I have to think back to the basics. So this post takes us back to the basics of handwriting and strengthening our child's hands.It all starts with the fine motor skills. What is fine motor? Our fine motor skills are those small muscle movements that we make with our hands, fingers, toes and feet. Most of them focus on our hands. Making a fist with our fingers, touching each finger with your thumb, pinching, snapping your fingers together and most importantly holding a pencil which can also be called a pincher grasp.
It is hard to teach kids how to hold a pencil. Most kiddos like to hold their pencil in a fist. It is their first natural instinct of how to hold. There are five muscle training techniques that I suggest to parents when we are trying to teach kids how to hold a pencil. All hands-on and kids love them!
The Tissue Trick, Lego Pinching,
Tweezer Pick Up,
Tweezer Pick Up,
Q-tip Write and Wipe, Pin Art
The Tissue Trick: Kids can either love this technique or hate it. It is all in how you approach it. I always like to teach kids that it is a trick or game. The concept of the game is to not drop the Tissue. How to play: Give your child a pen, pencil, marker or anything to write with. Show them how to hold it correctly by placing the pointer finger, middle finger, and thumb in the pincher grasp on the writing object. With their ring finger and pinkie finger place a tissue under them holding it against their palm. Remember to make it a game and say,
"Don't do it, don't drop the tissue."
They can then write what ever they want. Try coloring a page or writing on whiteboard.
Lego Pinching: I don't know that I have ever met a child that doesn't like playing with Lego Blocks, most LOVE playing with them. If you have ever played with Lego Blocks it's hard to not pick them up in a pinch. The trick with this technique is to have your child pick them up with their middle finger and their thumb. This strengthens that middle finger so that it is easier to control a pencil. This can also be done using the Tissue Trick as well.
Tweezer Pick Up: I know, I know giving your child tweezers can be nerve racking! I am the first to admit that they can be dangerous. You can find kid friendly ones at Lakeshore, Discount School Supply or any other teacher supply store. The ones at Lakeshore come in a fine motor skills game. But if you are up for the challenge you can give your child normal old tweezers. The name of the game says it all. The goal is to have your child pick up as many objects as they can with the tweezers. Find small objects around your home. One thing that I like to use is food such as; raisins, M&M's, Skittles, peas(careful they can pop), popcorn, etc. You can also use craft supplies such as; pom poms, buttons, dry beans, beads, etc. Put these objects on a plate or in a bowl and have an empty bowl next to it. I like to put everything on a cookie sheet so that objects do not roll away. Show your child how to pick up an object and place it in the empty bowl. Do a few for your child and then help guide your child's hand until they are comfortable doing it themselves.
ADD-ON: When your child gets good at moving the objects to an empty bowl try adding another teaching aspect. Get a muffin tin and have your child sort each different object into a separate muffin cup. You can also get a bag of rainbow pom pom balls and have your child sort them by colors.
Q-Tip Write and Wipe: All you need is a Q-tip, water, and a towel! Clean off an area of a table or a desk. It is going to get wet so make sure that it can. You can also use a cookie sheet (Buy one at the dollar store just for kid art and school, it is worth the dollar investment.) Use the pinching grasp again have your child dip the Q-tip in a small cup of water and then write and draw on the table/cookie sheet. Dry it off and start again.
ADD-ON: Print off a few letter writing or number writing pages on colored paper and slide them in a sheet protector. Your child can then write on the sheet protector with the Q-tip and water with out ruining the paper. They can also use a dry erase marker and practice their letters and numbers.
Pin Art: Yes! Just like you did in elementary school. You need a push pin and a piece of construction paper. Either have your child draw a picture with a pencil on the paper or print a coloring page on the picture. Teach your child to hold the pin in their thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger. Then have your child lay down on a rug or carpet with the paper in front of them. Start poking holes on the drawn lines. When you are all finished hold it up to a window and enjoy the picture lit up!
The Tissue Trick: Kids can either love this technique or hate it. It is all in how you approach it. I always like to teach kids that it is a trick or game. The concept of the game is to not drop the Tissue. How to play: Give your child a pen, pencil, marker or anything to write with. Show them how to hold it correctly by placing the pointer finger, middle finger, and thumb in the pincher grasp on the writing object. With their ring finger and pinkie finger place a tissue under them holding it against their palm. Remember to make it a game and say, "Don't do it, don't drop the tissue."
They can then write what ever they want. Try coloring a page or writing on whiteboard.
Lego Pinching: I don't know that I have ever met a child that doesn't like playing with Lego Blocks, most LOVE playing with them. If you have ever played with Lego Blocks it's hard to not pick them up in a pinch. The trick with this technique is to have your child pick them up with their middle finger and their thumb. This strengthens that middle finger so that it is easier to control a pencil. This can also be done using the Tissue Trick as well.
Tweezer Pick Up: I know, I know giving your child tweezers can be nerve racking! I am the first to admit that they can be dangerous. You can find kid friendly ones at Lakeshore, Discount School Supply or any other teacher supply store. The ones at Lakeshore come in a fine motor skills game. But if you are up for the challenge you can give your child normal old tweezers. The name of the game says it all. The goal is to have your child pick up as many objects as they can with the tweezers. Find small objects around your home. One thing that I like to use is food such as; raisins, M&M's, Skittles, peas(careful they can pop), popcorn, etc. You can also use craft supplies such as; pom poms, buttons, dry beans, beads, etc. Put these objects on a plate or in a bowl and have an empty bowl next to it. I like to put everything on a cookie sheet so that objects do not roll away. Show your child how to pick up an object and place it in the empty bowl. Do a few for your child and then help guide your child's hand until they are comfortable doing it themselves. ADD-ON: When your child gets good at moving the objects to an empty bowl try adding another teaching aspect. Get a muffin tin and have your child sort each different object into a separate muffin cup. You can also get a bag of rainbow pom pom balls and have your child sort them by colors.
Q-Tip Write and Wipe: All you need is a Q-tip, water, and a towel! Clean off an area of a table or a desk. It is going to get wet so make sure that it can. You can also use a cookie sheet (Buy one at the dollar store just for kid art and school, it is worth the dollar investment.) Use the pinching grasp again have your child dip the Q-tip in a small cup of water and then write and draw on the table/cookie sheet. Dry it off and start again.
ADD-ON: Print off a few letter writing or number writing pages on colored paper and slide them in a sheet protector. Your child can then write on the sheet protector with the Q-tip and water with out ruining the paper. They can also use a dry erase marker and practice their letters and numbers.
Pin Art: Yes! Just like you did in elementary school. You need a push pin and a piece of construction paper. Either have your child draw a picture with a pencil on the paper or print a coloring page on the picture. Teach your child to hold the pin in their thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger. Then have your child lay down on a rug or carpet with the paper in front of them. Start poking holes on the drawn lines. When you are all finished hold it up to a window and enjoy the picture lit up!
I hope you enjoy all these techniques!
Let me know what works for you and your child or class! Don't forget to take pictures and label them #YoungHandsLove2Learn. I would love to see what you are up to!
Feel Free to leave a comment, question, or outburst of emotion! :)
