PENCIL HOLDER
 
     
Materials Purpose Process
 
 
 
 
 
MATERIALS
 
A pencil (shorter than full length). A regular length pencil is too long and too heavy for a child's small fingers to hold. It is better, when teaching the proper method of holding a pencil, to use a pencil a little more than half the length of a regular pencil. Many bad habits are created simply by having a pencil too heavy for the children's fingers. Remember they are holding the pencil with their thumb and forefinger. If the pencil is too long they have to grip it too hard which tightens up all the muscles stopping fluid movement.
 
 
Warning: Whenever a child uses a pencil for the first time they should have supervision. The child should be advised of the dangers of pencils to the eyes and mouth. there is also the danger of a child poking themsleves or someone else with a pencil. Children should be discouraged from chewing the ends of pencils or even putting them in the mouth.
 
 
 
PURPOSE
 
     
Children should learn to hold a pencil properly. Many problems originate with the manner in which they hold the pencil. The proper holding of the pencil permits the fingers rather than the wrist to do the work of moving the pencil when printing or handwriting. The same finger positions apply to crayons. Children have trouble staying within the lines when coloring simply because the manner in which they hold the crayon blocks the eye from seeing the lines or outline of the figure they are coloring. Essential for learning? Most certainly!
 
 
     
PROCESS
 
1. Have the child sit beside you, or in your lap, with a piece of paper in front of you on the table.

2. Show the child how to use the thumb and forefinger to pick something up. It is sort of a pincer motion. Have the child imitate your actions. The natural position of the middle finger will be to curl under the thumb and forefinger.

3. Put the pencil between your thumb and forefinger to demonstrate the position for the child. Now let the child try. You may want to show them how.
 
 
4. Rest the pencil on the middle finger that is curled under the thumb and forefinger.

5. Have your child draw something using this position.
 
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Make sure the child is not holding the pencil too tightly. It should be easily slipped from the fingers. If the child holds the pencil too tightly the fine muscles in the hand will tighten up and defeat the purpose of using this method. Harsh black lines means the child is pressing too hard on the lead. This is an indicator of holding too tightly.

The child should be able to see the tip of the pencil on the paper without moving his/her head or twisting the wrist. If the child is left-handed he/she may have to turn the hand slightly to take the thumb out of the way to see the tip of the pencil.

Head positions often are a giveaway to holding the pencil improperly. For example, if the head is down on the writing area usually it indicates the child is trying to see where he/she is writing. The hand is blocking the eye from seeing the lines.