Pens, pencils, markers and crayons! It’s a whole world out there for your toddler to explore. At the beginning of their writing journey, they first need to learn how to hold a pen. Once the little writers master their pen-gripping skills, there is no stopping them! So, let’s get started!
When Should You Introduce Pens and Pencils?
Children may not be able to grip a regular pen perfectly till they are around 4-5 years old. But introducing them to writing tools at an early age has many advantages. There are several activities to engage your child at the age of 3 years that will help them learn the skill of holding and controlling a pen. For instance, the Intelliskills Pen Control Reusable Activity Sheets are a good starting point in your search for the right learning aids to help your child master this crucial skill. They offer some super fun activities that will keep your child hooked! These activities are designed by educators and paediatric development experts for toddlers above the age of 3. The activities are aimed at engaging them in lots of fun while learning important skills like holding a pen.
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Stages of Pen Grasp
When you understand why pen control is challenging for your child to learn, you will be able to help them better. Your toddler has very excitedly grabbed the pen, but you may notice that this isn’t the right way to hold it. And if you think you can physically straighten the pen in their hands, my oh my! You are about to meet with some rebellion.
Here’s what you need to know about how your toddler controls their pen.
1. Palmar Grasp
If your child is 1-1.5 years old, you may notice that when you hand them a pen, pencil or crayon, they hold it in their entire fist. At this age, they have not yet learnt to hold the pen with precision in between their fingers and thumb. But don’t underestimate their abilities already! When your child is at this stage of development, it is important to make their Palmar grasp stronger. So don’t fret about accurate drawings, neat handwriting and perfect lines as yet! Just give them a free hand with a pen and paper, and let them scribble away.
2. Wrist Extension
Along with grasp, your child may not have learnt to move and rotate their wrist to write or draw. Instead, they move their arm as a whole unit to control their pen.
3. Pincer Grasp
As toddlers grow, their pincer grasp improves each day with every activity they pursue. This ability helps them pick up and hold a pen using their thumb and index finger. Their grasp gets stronger and more precise over time, and after the age of 1.5 years, they may start showing interest in random scribbling. To sharpen this skill, toddlers at this stage need to use the correct kind of pens, learn the accurate grasp.
The Right Way To Hold A Pen
The correct grip of a pen is a challenge for many grown-ups too, let alone toddlers and children. Learning the correct grip and inculcating the habit of controlling the pen well will make it way easier for your little one. It will improve their handwriting as they grow older, as well as make writing a fun activity.
Tripod Grasp
When your child is about 2-3 years, the goal at this stage is to make sure they hold their pen using just the tips of their thumb, index and middle fingers. With their wrist slightly extended, let the scribbling begin!
Pen-Control Activities To Teach Your Child
Here are some fun activities that your baby will enjoy at this stage, which will be super fun for them as they learn how to hold, control and use their pen:
1. Dot-to-Dot
Joining the dots with small straight lines to ultimately create a whole picture is exciting and fun for children. This is a slow and steady beginning for them where they don’t need their writing, drawing or scribbling to be perfect at all! All they need to do is pick up a dot-to-dot activity book and have fun at it.
2. Maze
Drawing a rough line freely along a path is an activity that can encourage children to use their pen confidently. In the beginning, they may not be able to draw the perfect line, or even manage to stay within the lines of the path. However, try to encourage them to keep at it will they solve their maze. Pretty soon this will become their favourite activity and they will want more and more of it.
3. Tracing
Tracing along a dotted pattern or a thin line is an activity you can introduce at this stage. Children of 2-3 years are familiar with geometric shapes and can spot them when they see them. What’s challenging for them is to be able to draw the shape on their own. But not for long… because with Trace And Write Activity Books, children trace along their favourite shapes with their pen and get confident about their drawing skills. Remember, perfect angles with protractors and compasses have to wait! Now is the time for your child to simply enjoy the activity and have fun with their newly learnt pen skills!
4. Write & Wipe
This is an effective tool to get your child excited about writing. They can keep doing their favourite activity again and again. No need to worry about mistakes or shabby lines; all you need to do to correct your boo-boos is simply wipe away and try again. Intelliskills Reusable Activity Cards are great for encouraging lots of writing practice.
5. Intelliskills Pen Control Activity Sheets
The key to master any skill is practice, practice, practice. Designed by innovators in early learning, these Activity Sheets are the perfect tool to ensure your child gets ample training in writing, scribbling, tracing, drawing and having lots of fun using a pen.
What Kind of Pen Should You Use?
When it comes to learning how to use a pen with the correct grip, how you begin the journey lays a strong foundation. Using the right kind of pen, pencil or crayon is essential in the early stages. Let’s look at the kinds of pens that are most suitable for little writers.
- Make sure the pen is short so that it is easy for your child to manage in their hands.
- A thicker pen will be easier for your child’s tiny fingers, as they are still learning to grasp objects. The thicker the pen, the less precise their grip needs to be, making it easier for them to learn.
- Small pieces of crayon will be easier for them to grip with their fingertips. If you don’t have a pen, pencil or crayons suitable for babies, break some crayons into smaller pieces and let your child scribble away with them while learning the precise tripod grip.
- Chalk, too, is a fun writing tool for children, especially if they have seen their teachers in school or preschool write on large boards. You can offer them small chalk pieces and a slate board to make their writing journey fun.
Why Is Your Child Facing Challenges In Pen Control?
1. Unlearning & Learning
As toddlers grow and develop their ability to grasp with their fingers, they should be encouraged to learn the correct grip to hold a pen. The old habit of an incorrect grasp or wrist position must be unlearnt.
2. Hand Strength
It is possible that your child’s handgrip is not yet strong to be able to hold a pen properly. Before you start worrying about it being a bigger problem, give them time to practice their skill. After all, writing itself is the exercise they need to strengthen their pen control abilities.
3. Exposure
Another reason why your child finds the pen a baffling object is simply because they may not have been exposed to it adequately. It is important to start early. They may not have the right grip at first, but with practice, they will be the master of their pen in no time!
What Is Your Child Learning Through Pen Control Activities?
1. Fine Motor Skills
These are skills that require coordination of the small muscles in the body. These skills govern the small movements, like the wrist movement while writing or the finger positions while grasping a pen.
2. Hand-eye Coordination
When a child learns to control a pen with their hands, and they see the creations (even random scribbling) of their pen come to life on paper, it improves their awareness and hand-eye coordination.
3. Pattern Recognition
As children start scribbling, they learn to recognise patterns and shapes. A few of the early patterns they can identify and create are lines, circles and zig-zag lines.
4. Cognitive Development
Through a simple act of holding a pen, scribbling, wiping, and attempting again, a child observes, thinks and learns a lot more than what you can see. They learn the properties of the materials they are using, and observe the processes they are engaged in, but most importantly, their imagination runs wild looking at the scribbles, doodles and patterns they have created with their own hands. All these experiences go deep down into developing a child’s cognition.
5. Emergent Writing
Your child may have observed you using a pen or pencil to write and will try to imitate the act by scribbling and doing some “writing” in their own way. While you may not be able to read much into the message they are giving out, what you can understand from this is that they have taken their first step towards writing.
Children love freedom and being able to take control of the world around them. Just hand them a pen, help them with a good grip, and watch as the magic draws itself on paper, in their sparkling eyes and in their growth and development journey. Let the scribbling begin!
