Poll: What size pencil do you start your kindergartener with?

[praisefor3]

I'm sure there are other choices but I'm making it simple (and I just can't think of any more!)

[MissKNG]

My dd uses a regular #2 pencil and regular colored pencils.

[kalanamak]

Triangular Laddie's.

[gardening momma]

Dd6 uses regular pencils, but I voted "other" because she also uses Handwriting Without Tears pencils that I think work best for her--they're about 1/2 the length of a regular pencil but still have an eraser at the end.

[K&Rs Mom]

I read somewhere that the fat ones are actually harder for little hands to manage, and that the ideal would be the short golf pencils because they force a better triangle grip. We just used the regular, though - less $ and no transition issues later.

[lovinmykids]

I say use the reg. #2 pencil. You can always shorten it so it feels better.

My boys used the fat ones in PS and I think they are way to hard to hold. I had my little one use the reg. pencil.

[FairProspects]

We used the HWOT pencils too and they have worked wonderfully for ds.

[angela in ohio]

#2 pencil (Dixon Ticonderoga Black Warrior) and wide-ruled notebook paper form the beginning :D

Edited January 8, 2010 by angela in ohio
that was allll messed up

[AuntieM]

The kids' fingers are so small, I never understood the logic of a fat pencil. They each got one, because they're big, unusual and kinda fun, but when it's time to actually do some writing, we always used the regular number twos.

[nukeswife]

My oldest preferred the fat pencils, but my dd and youngest ds like regular size #2 pencils. I had a few fat ones still laying around and bought some fat triangular ones for my youngest and he hated them. Wouldn't use them again after the first time.

 

I may look into the short pencils for him though. He'd like those just because they are "Little" LOL

[jenn-]

I started mine on normal pencils and couldn't get them to hold it right for the life of me. I tried triangular grips, they hated them. I found some thick triangular pencils and suddenly they hold it right. Works for us for now at least.

[kbpaulie]

Wasn't sure which category to vote in... shortened #2... size of golf pencils

[Tree House Academy]

We have found that mechanical pencils work best for both of my kids. My older son must use 5mm lead whereas my 6 year old needs 7mm lead. We also found the "half size" mechanical pencils for my 6 y/o and they are wonderful. He loves them and so do I. :)

[Tap]

Other--both.

 

I have a myriad of pencils, pens, and markers. They are all different sizes, so the kids tend to pick what is most comfortable for the activity.

[SonshineLearner]

Ok... so I voted regular # 2s... but I actually JUST started making my 6.5 yr old write, and I put one of the finger grips on it. It has two pretty same sized spots and then 1 larger one. It demands that he holds his fingers properly, which is what he needed... he had a serious weird grip on the pencil. :-)

[Peek a Boo]

Ok... so I voted regular # 2s... but I actually JUST started making my 6.5 yr old write, and I put one of the finger grips on it. It has two pretty same sized spots and then 1 larger one. It demands that he holds his fingers properly, which is what he needed... he had a serious weird grip on the pencil. :-)

 

similar here.

 

not sure what they are called, but the grips my kids LOVE is a weird pear-shaped sort of thing. It has the depressions for correct finger placement and a bulbous section that your fingers naturally curl around. They were like $3 each, not the cheapy quarter ones..... They fit around a regular sized pencil.

 

we write and draw on EV.RY.THING.

 

eta: i think it's the grip shown here:

http://www.toyscamp.com/the-jumbo-pencil-grip-single-grip-p-pg11401.htm

Edited January 8, 2010 by Peek a Boo

[kpupg]

I actuallly tried starting with the fat pencils, but my kids didn't like them. They asked for the regular pencils and liked them much better.

 

Karen

[Punks in Ontario]

Regular #2s here. I won't let them use mechanical pencils because they like to play with the leads and that's a nuisance. I tried the pencil grips and decided they were only playtoys, not for the real world.

 

I still sharpen most of my littles pencils so that playing with the sharpener doesn't become a problem. The 7yo does some of his outside of school time.

 

The older boys love mechanical pencils.

[Heidi]

We used the HWOT pencils too and they have worked wonderfully for ds.

 

:iagree:

[gardening momma]

Wanted to add that we have push-a-point pencils too--I don't know what the official name is, but I found pics on Amazon and that's what this particular brand calls them.

Sort of like a mechanical pencil, but dc can't just click away, wasting lead. In fact, I don't think they even know yet how to get to the next lead, or even that you might need to. :001_smile:

[hsmom3tn]

I voted fat pencils because my DS started out with them. He didn't use them for long, though. I don't think my girls used them, but I do remember them having some of those fat colored pencils... I think someone else may have bought those for them.