lulubelle Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 My 4 yo needs help holding a pencil and crayon correctly. We just received prek writing without tears yesterday. But, I'm just wondering others experience and advice about this issue and what is the best type of pencil (short, long, fat, thin, extra wide grip holder?). Should he have extra fat crayons too? Thanks, Lauren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Handwriting Without Tears sells short pencils (sort of golf pencil size) with erasers and they're wonderful for improving pencil grip. They also sell these short crayons called flip crayons, and they're very helpful, too. My youngest daughter has used both of these for several years to improve her grip. http://www.hwtears.com Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Regular pencils, crayons, etc. And correct, correct, correct the grip. If you don't do it now, it will never happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.S. Burrow Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 We use these pencil grips. Unfortunately, we didn't learn about them until my DS was nearly 8. I wish we had known about them when he was just starting to really write. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellyndria Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Regular pencils, crayons, etc. And correct, correct, correct the grip. If you don't do it now, it will never happen. What happens when you correct the grip, and then they refuse to trace/color after that? DS who is 3.5 isn't big on coloring anyway, and I *know* his hand gets tired... his grip is all four fingers on top of the crayon/pencil, with thumb underneath with the first joint bent back at a 90 degree angle (actually more than that even)... he also grips it very tight. Seriously, when I try to correct his grip, sometimes he will flop down on the floor and wail, or other times simply refuse to trace or color anymore. Three-sided pencils/crayons don't help, he ignores the sides and holds it how he wants anyway, doesn't seem to bother him. We have the Flip crayons. It doesn't matter, he can still fit all four fingers on top and thumb underneath anyway. Same with the Little Chalk Bits. I seriously don't know how to approach this. He *likes* to trace letters, and I hate that if I correct his grip that he doesn't want to do it anymore. Sometimes I tell him he only has to do one or two letters like that, and he can usually manage that without breaking down. We have the HWT Pre-K book, and after that I have Kumon books... we only do them when he asks. He is very stubborn, though, and has his own ideas about everything. Sorry to hijack this post, but I need advice, and I eagerly read all posts about grip that I see, looking for help, and it seems everyone always says "Correct it now." I'm just wondering how to do that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.S. Burrow Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 What happens when you correct the grip, and then they refuse to trace/color after that? DS who is 3.5 isn't big on coloring anyway, and I *know* his hand gets tired... his grip is all four fingers on top of the crayon/pencil, with thumb underneath with the first joint bent back at a 90 degree angle (actually more than that even)... he also grips it very tight. Seriously, when I try to correct his grip, sometimes he will flop down on the floor and wail, or other times simply refuse to trace or color anymore. Three-sided pencils/crayons don't help, he ignores the sides and holds it how he wants anyway, doesn't seem to bother him. We have the Flip crayons. It doesn't matter, he can still fit all four fingers on top and thumb underneath anyway. Same with the Little Chalk Bits. I seriously don't know how to approach this. He *likes* to trace letters, and I hate that if I correct his grip that he doesn't want to do it anymore. Sometimes I tell him he only has to do one or two letters like that, and he can usually manage that without breaking down. We have the HWT Pre-K book, and after that I have Kumon books... we only do them when he asks. He is very stubborn, though, and has his own ideas about everything. Sorry to hijack this post, but I need advice, and I eagerly read all posts about grip that I see, looking for help, and it seems everyone always says "Correct it now." I'm just wondering how to do that... :)Sticking my neck out because I know someone will shoot me down..... Bribe him. Start small - say one row of a letter - and tell him if he holds the pencil the correct way for each letter then he will get ____(free time, you'll read extra to him, a cartoon, play-doh, etc). For my DS, 15 minutes of Lego time (or getting out the Lincoln Logs), outside time, or watching Veggie Tales, or Dragon Tales would have been fine at your DS's age. My DS is 10 now. If he will use his pencil grip for all assignments, all week long, he earns $5 so he can buy some new Legos. He has yet to do this, but he is using the pencil grip more and his writing is improving......he wants the new Indiana Jones Legos. If I changed it to $1 per day for all daily assignments completed with the pencil grip then he would probably do better....and earn those Legos!;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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