How to hold a pen correctly: top ways to teach a child, preparing the hand for writing

Many parents believe that it is necessary to teach a child how to hold a pen or pencil correctly at the age of 5-6, when preparation for school begins.

But that's not true. Already at 2.5-3 years old, children are ready to pick up a pencil for the first time and begin to draw cherished lines. And the sooner kids learn to hold a writing object correctly, the better the skill will be consolidated. If the grip is formed incorrectly, then it will be more difficult to retrain the child.

At what age should a child be taught?

Teachers advise showing children the correct position of a pencil or felt-tip pen as soon as they become interested in these objects.
But at an early age (1-2.5 years), fine motor skills are poorly developed, so it may be difficult for a child to hold a pen with several fingers.

To prepare your baby for writing, you need to:

• perform finger exercises;
• roll or string beads on a thread;
• make paper appliqués;
• untie simple knots;
• crush toys of different shapes in your hands.

At 3 years old you can include activities such as:

• sewing on buttons or braiding hair;
• painting over large coloring elements;
• completing the drawing of the figure along the contour;
• assembly of large construction sets;
• modeling from plasticine.

At the age of 4, full-fledged education is already possible. You can show the correct position of the hand by your own example or clasp the child’s hand, placing the fingers in the right places.

Exercises

In order for a first-grader to be able to properly use a writing instrument, classes must begin at the age of 2-5. Simple exercises combined with games will help you develop finger dexterity in the future.

You can offer your child:

• collect beads with your fingers and put them in a box;
• tie bows on laces, knots on strings;
• wipe the drawn lines with a small rubber band;
• cut out small parts from paper using safety scissors and make a mosaic out of them;
• shade pictures for coloring with a pencil;
• draw patterns, geometric shapes (triangles, squares, circles, etc.);
• collect constructor;
• fasten buttons, etc.

Some exercises can be done as a game. At this time, it is important to control the position of the baby's fingers.

Spider game

The child’s hands are funny spiders, and his fingers are their paws. They should be asked to “run” around the table. Stomp, jump. Ask your child to let the “spiders” say hello with their paws and draw something with crayons. This exercise will help relieve tension in the fingers and distract the child from routine exercises.

Why is this necessary?

Improper finger grip has many negative consequences. The most harmless of them is ridicule from classmates.

The following problems are also possible:

1. Inability to achieve beautiful handwriting.
2. The hand can get tired and sore even after one lesson.
3. The student’s performance decreases because he spends time not on solving complex problems, but on trying to cope with inconvenient objects in his hand.
4. Scoliosis and other spinal diseases. Incorrect hand position causes incorrect arm position and, as a result, curvature of the upper body.
5. Visual impairment.

Why prepare your hand

Many parents do not even suspect that it is necessary to prepare their hands for writing. The better developed the fine muscles of a child’s leading hand, the easier it will be for him to master the skill of writing at school. Otherwise, the consequences will be sad: a first-grader at school will become very tired, will not have time to complete the teacher’s assignments, and will become upset when he sees the successes of his classmates and his own failures. Therefore, preparation is absolutely necessary.

But it is important to take into account one circumstance: preparing your hand for writing and learning to write are not the same thing. The child will learn the second at school, but our task, as parents, is to deal with him first. Don't force your preschooler to pore over copybooks, but train his arm muscles.

What about before?

Don't think that preparing your hand for school is a newfangled trend. In fact, the best teachers in both the 19th and 20th centuries were puzzled by the development of “manual skill” in their students. Under their guidance, children were engaged in paper folding, construction using sticks, matches, peas, buttons, modeling and much more. The famous Maria Montessori also paid great attention to manual dexterity. And in our ordinary lives, you and I did a lot of things that prepared our hands for writing: we whittled sticks, cut out figures from wood, folded paper airplanes, boats and frogs, pulled threads between our fingers in a bizarre way...

Why do children hold pens and pencils incorrectly?

The child’s grasping reflex develops already in infancy, and by the age of one year the baby can confidently hold various objects with his hand. Most often, it is clenched in a fist. This is convenient for him, he sees that with such a “grab” the toy, spoon or pencil does not fall. Even if a child is observant and notices that adults hold a pencil differently, it is not easy for him to repeat this due to insufficiently developed fine motor skills of his fingers.

That is why parents need to not only show how to hold a pen correctly when writing, but also develop fine motor skills in the child’s hands. Finger gymnastics, plasticine modeling or mosaic exercises are great for this. It is useful to teach a child to fasten buttons and string beads on a thread.

It is important to show him that all these actions are convenient to perform with three fingers (practice and consolidate the so-called pinch grip).

Possible reasons

At school, children have to write a lot and often.
The way the student holds the pen determines his writing speed and handwriting. Many parents are faced with the problem of incorrect positioning of writing instruments in their child’s hand. Most often it is caused by undeveloped fine motor skills. Small children hold pencils, pens, and rattles with all their fingers, clenching them into a fist. Some older kids squeeze the writing instrument by sticking their fingers forward.

This situation is wrong, it often turns into a habit that is quite difficult to get rid of. Therefore, it is important to start retraining the baby in time. Incorrect pen position may be due to the fact that parents did not show how to hold the writing instrument in their hand.

Why is it important to hold the pen correctly?

Incorrect finger position when writing is not only a matter of beautiful handwriting. Everything is much more serious.

Is your child holding a pen incorrectly? Most likely, he is sitting incorrectly. And this can lead to muscle pain, poor posture and, in the long term, scoliosis.

A “crooked” landing is fraught with vision problems.

A hand placed incorrectly quickly gets tired; Even muscle and hand spasms are possible.

And, of course, there is a psychological aspect: it is harder for a child - especially a first-grader - than for his peers. He does not have time, does not receive satisfaction from studying, and begins to be afraid of written work. Ultimately, the child develops a negative attitude towards the entire educational process.

Where does handwriting correction begin?

Classes with a neuropsychologist to correct handwriting are aimed primarily at eliminating the causes of this phenomenon, in particular, it is necessary to do the following:

• if the baby is in a state of stress, his emotional background should be brought into balance, a favorable environment should be created at home and at school where he would feel free and comfortable;
• If a child is diagnosed with ADHD, then it is necessary to correct hyperactivity, since it is difficult for him to concentrate on a specific activity and control his behavior. In addition, such children often have great problems with fine motor skills;
• consult a doctor so that he can “tune” the child’s nervous system like a musical instrument;
• practice the clear outline of letters and their individual fragments.

Writing is a rather complex process in which both the left and right hemispheres of the brain, eyes, and hands are involved, so it is necessary to make their work more coordinated. If the “participants” of writing work each on their own, then teaching written speech for the most part turns out to be unsuccessful or develops in a compensatory way, that is, the child writes letters clumsily, confuses them, or does not complete them at all.

The fact is that during the period of learning in a child, neural connections are formed through the nerve cells (neurons) of the brain. For the reasons described above, they are formed incorrectly or in insufficient quantities.

Signs that your child is holding a pen incorrectly

Incorrect finger positioning does not always mean “hand in fist.” There are many options in which a child holds a pen or pencil incorrectly when writing and which are not so obvious:

1. The child holds the pen too close or too far from the shaft. A distance of about 1.5 cm is considered optimal.
2. Incorrect grip: “pinch” or thumb below index finger.
3. Focus on the index finger, not the middle finger.
4. Excessive pressure on the writing instrument.
5. When writing, the paper moves, but not the pencil.
6. The hand is too tight and tense.
7. The upper part of the pencil “looks” to the side (should be directed towards the shoulder).

How to sit at a desk?

The child’s spine is not yet strong, so if the position is incorrect during exercise, he may have problems with posture. It is better to immediately buy a chair and a table, the height of which can be increased as the baby grows. He should sit upright with his feet on the floor or on a special stand. Make sure that the young artist places both elbows on the table and does not bend to the right or left.

You don’t need to lean your chest on the table, but you shouldn’t move too far either. A distance of 2 cm will be enough. You can tilt your head a little, but do not bury your nose in the paper. Teach your child to check the distance from the drawing to the eyes from time to time. You need to place your elbow on the table, the organs of vision should be at the level of your fingers. To make your hand less tired, the piece of paper should be placed at an angle of 30⁰ to the edge of the table, the corner should look into the center of the child’s chest.

Advice

If you notice that the baby does not move the pencil along the paper, but pulls out the album, figure out the reasons. Perhaps he is left-handed, and his mother forces him to work with his right hand.

When practicing writing and drawing, you need to take care of your baby’s vision. The workplace should be well lit. The lamp should be placed on the left so that the right hand does not cast a shadow on the sheet. If you are growing up left-handed, place the light source on the right. It is better to choose bright, rich shades of paste in a pen or pencil lead. Pale lines are difficult to distinguish - the child will strain both his eyes and his hand, trying to make them clearer with strong pressure.

Do not allow your child to draw on a low bench, sitting on the floor on his knees. There is no need for him to write while lying on the floor. From an early age, the child needs to be taught that for each activity there is its own place, its own furniture and its own body position. Some children are better at writing standing up. There is no need to prevent this; this skill will be very useful to him at school. Buy a special board with a secure stand or loops to hang it on the wall. Explain that he can depict whatever he wants on this surface, but he cannot paint wallpaper, furniture and doors.

How to hold writing utensils?

Have you ever wondered whether you are picking up a pencil correctly or incorrectly? In adults, this happens “automatically,” but a child still does not understand at all how to hold a pen correctly.

The task of parents is to accustom the preschooler to the correct way of writing and develop an automatic skill.

If the child is right-handed, the writing instrument should be located on the left side of the middle finger. The index finger presses the handle, preventing it from slipping. The largest finger holds it on the left side. For a left-handed baby, the holding method is, accordingly, absolutely mirror-like.

To check the correct grip of the writing utensils, ask the child to slightly raise his index finger. If the pencil falls out of the palm, it means that the children's fingers are positioned incorrectly.

The baby is free to use the remaining “idle” fingers as he wishes. Usually the little finger and ring finger are pressed against the palm; some people hide them closer to the thumb when writing.

To prevent gripping a pencil from causing inconvenience, you need to teach your child to perform the following simple steps:

1. First of all, explain to the future student that writing utensils are held in the palm not vertically, but at such an angle that the upper tip “looks” at the shoulder.
2. The upper phalanx of the middle fingers is where the pencil is placed. The index finger should support it on the upper side, and the thumb on the left. The remaining fingers are pressed against the palm.
3. When placing your hand on the table surface, it is important to determine the correct fulcrum. It serves as the third phalanx of the little finger and the outer side of the palm.
4. To prevent the muscles from straining too much, you should not squeeze the pencil excessively - your fingers should be relaxed. And the distance from the finger grip to the end of the rod is approximately 1.5-2 centimeters.

If your child constantly ignores these recommendations, be sure to remind them, but do not say the word “wrong.” Better show how to do it and hold it.

The best way to write: choosing writing instruments for a child

Writing materials play a significant role in teaching a child to write. The result largely depends on what the child uses to write. For a small child, it is better to choose wax crayons or felt-tip pens. Children like them because they leave bright marks on paper, and they are convenient because they do not need to be pressed hard. Experts say that in preschool age it is most useful to draw and write with pencils. Using a pencil, the child will learn to control the force of pressure on a sheet of paper. It is better to choose pencils with a triangular shape so that the child can hold them correctly in his hand. The place where the baby holds the pencil should preferably be rubberized so that the fingers do not slip when writing. Also pay attention to the materials the writing utensils are made from, as many children put them in their mouths.

If we talk about choosing a pen, then ballpoint pens with dark blue ink are better suited for children of preschool and primary school age. If the pen writes with light ink, the child will press harder on it, since the letters are difficult to see on the paper. You should not buy handles that are too long (more than 13 cm) or thick (over 7 mm).

First acquaintance with a pencil

Before you begin, make sure you are holding the pen correctly. Few adults hold a pencil in their fist or between their fingers in the form of a fig. But the tilt of the writing instrument and the gripping location do not correspond to the standard for everyone. The child may not understand the explanation in words; parents will have to show him by their own example how they themselves draw and write.

Take the handle and see how correct its position is.

• The handle lies on the upper phalanx of the middle finger, the thumb holds it on top and the index finger on the side.
• The ring finger and little finger are bent and pressed against the palm.
• The distance from the fingers to the tip of the pencil is about 1.5 cm.
• The blunt end is directed towards the shoulder of the writing hand.

If you notice mistakes, adjust the position of the writing instrument to show your child the correct example.

Now look through your child's entire arsenal of writing instruments. Friends and relatives could give him pencils of the most bizarre shapes, thick pens with many refills, or souvenir miniature felt-tip pens. Such items look good on a stand or in a collection, but using them for their intended purpose is very inconvenient, especially when the child is just learning to hold writing instruments in his hands.

Take a pencil 8 mm thick and about 10-12 cm long. It is advisable that it has a triangular shape, then the fingers themselves will take the correct position. Explain to your child that the pencil loves to be held correctly, but if it is grabbed haphazardly, it will be unpleasant for him. For clarity, you can show that when you lead your baby by the hand, he is happy and happy, but if you hold him by the leg, it will be very uncomfortable.

How to choose a suitable pen?

Adults who have confident writing skills practically do not pay attention to the quality of the pen (especially lately, when writing by hand is becoming less and less common). More often, writing instruments are chosen based on design, originality, and current logo.

But for teaching a child writing skills, “gift” options - especially non-standard forms - are absolutely not suitable. You should choose ballpoint pens.

When choosing, it is important to consider:

1. Form . Hexagonal or triangular handles are more comfortable than round ones - they fit easier in the hand and do not twist. Handles with a rubberized body are very good. In this case, even the round handle is held tightly by children’s fingers and does not slip, and the edges do not exert additional pressure.
2. Length _ The optimal handle length is 13-15 cm.
3. Width . Thick handles do not fit into children's fingers, so you should not choose a handle thicker than 1 cm in diameter.
4. Ink color . Too light is difficult to see, it will force the child to bend low over the notebook sheet, and black is simply gloomy. Usually purple or blue ink is used for training.
5. Material . Don't forget that children often taste pencils. It is better to buy pens made of fabric, with feathers, tails and funny tips when the child grows up.

There are special pens designed for learning (so-called self-taught pens) - they are designed so that they can only be held in one correct way. But a child usually uses more than one pen or pencil, so it will be more useful if he learns to grasp any writing object as needed.

How to prepare your hand for writing?

It is useless to engage in drawing with a child if his fingers are not yet sufficiently developed. You can play finger games with your baby: “Ladushki”, “White-sided Magpie”. Give him toys that encourage him to develop precise movements. Developmental centers and training mats will be of great help. Buy or make several handbags and pockets with different fasteners. The baby will make every effort to open the zipper, button and Velcro if he gets used to the fact that an interesting surprise awaits him in the container.

Older children can be offered games with balls, large beads, which are strung on a thin string. Lacing toys are very helpful for fine motor skills. Buy your child safe plasticine that you can put in your mouth - let him crush it, roll sausages, and try to mold something. For the development of both fingers and mental activity, you can purchase a construction set.

Good training for the hand and other activities:

• puzzles;
• tying knots, learning the basics of macrame;
• coloring books;
• drawing various figures using cells, dots or contour lines.

It is good to combine the development of fine motor skills with introducing the baby to household chores. At 3-4 years old, under the supervision of his mother, you can introduce him to needlework: teach him to sew on buttons, embroider simple patterns. Before the New Year, organize a competition for the best carved snowflake to decorate the Christmas tree. When making cookies or pie, give your child a piece of dough. Let him make his own figurine, which must also be baked, everyone should try a piece and praise the young chef for the delicious treat.

Don’t expect that a teacher in the first grade will be able to teach your child how to hold a pen correctly. If an incorrect grip has already formed, it will be very difficult to get rid of the habit, and teachers simply have no time to deal with it. Often annoying little things and habits that are harmless in the eyes of parents poison a student’s life so much that he refuses to go to class. Take care of your baby's future, do not regret 20-30 minutes a day to develop the necessary skills.

Graphic dictations

Graphic dictations are very useful for preschoolers. They not only develop attention and teach how to navigate on a sheet of paper, but also prepare the hand for writing. And children, as a rule, really like such tasks. For them, these are not lessons, but an exciting game with a prize in the form of a funny figure at the end, if everything is done correctly. Please note that most graphic dictations begin and end at the same point, i.e. The figures are obtained with a closed contour.

It rarely takes more than 10 to 15 minutes to complete even the most difficult graphic dictations. Even the busiest parents will probably be able to fit them into their busy work schedules. And the benefits will be enormous.

How to conduct graphic dictations:

1. We use only a simple pencil or pen. Working with felt-tip pens has its own nuances and does not teach the correct pressure.
2. We read clearly, without repeating, so that the child gets used to listening carefully and remembering the task.
3. We gradually increase the pace.
4. At first, you can write the letters “L” (left) and “P” (right) in the corners of the sheet. When the child becomes confident in navigating the sheet, discard this hint.

Graphic dictation “First-grader”

Attention! Before performing the dictation, ask the child to step back 4 cells to the left and above, and put a dot in this place. This is the beginning and end of the drawing that will be obtained as a result of performing a graphic dictation. We start work from this point, and we must return to the same point. If this does not happen, it means there was a mistake somewhere.

3 grades to the right, 1 cl. left up diagonally, 1 cell. to the right up diagonally, 2 cells. down, 1 class. to the right up diagonally, 2 cells. down, 1 class. left up diagonally, 3 cells. down, 1 class. left, 1st cell. down, 2 cells to the right, 1 cl. to the right down diagonally, 2 cells. down, 2 cells to the right up diagonally, 2 cells. left up diagonally, 1 cell. up, 1 cl. to the right down diagonally, 1 cell. to the right up diagonally, 1 cell. to the right down diagonally, 1 cl. to the right down diagonally, 1 cl. to the right up diagonally, 1 cell. down, 2 cells left down diagonally, 3 cells. down, 2 cells left, 2 cells up, 2 cells left down diagonally, 1 cell. left, 2 cells up, 1 cl. left up diagonally, 2 cells. down, 1 class. left down diagonally, 1 cell. down, 1 class. to the right down diagonally, 1 cell. down, 1 class. to the right down diagonally, 2 cells. down, 1 class. left, 3 cells down, 1 class. to the right, 1 cl. down, 2 cells left, 4 cells up, 1 cl. left, 4 cells down, 2 cells left, 1st cell. up, 1 cl. to the right, 3 cells. up, 1 cl. left, 2 cells up, 1 cl. to the right up diagonally, 1 cell. up, 1 cl. to the right up diagonally, 1 cell. up, 1 cl. left up diagonally, 2 cells. up, 1 cl. left down diagonally, 3 cells. down, 1 class. left down diagonally, 1 cell. left, 1st cell. up, 1 cl. to the right, 4 cells. up, 1 cl. to the right up diagonally, 2 cells. to the right, 1 cl. up, 1 cl. left, 3 cells up, 1 cl. left down diagonally, 2 cells. up, 1 cl. to the right down diagonally, 2 cells. up, 1 cl. to the right down diagonally, 1 cell. left down diagonally.

The result should be a figurine of a first-grader with two bows and a bouquet of flowers.

Did it work? Well done!

Something incomprehensible came out, but the circuit is not completely closed? Dont be upset! This is just an excuse to practice one more time. You can come up with graphic dictations yourself or use those that are easy to find on the Internet or in stores.

Adviсe

• You may find another way to hold the pen. If you find it convenient, use it.
• Do not press the handle too hard with your fingers. If you feel tension in your fingers, try changing their position until you find a comfortable grip.
• It is more difficult to write with ballpoint pens than with fountain pens. Typically, you need to grip them tighter and hold them more vertically, while pressing down firmly on the paper.
• Pencils and other writing utensils need to be held in the same way as pens, so they can also be used to hone a skill.

Signs of an improper grip

To prevent the negative consequences of improper grip, you should pay attention to how the baby first tries to grab a pencil. Problems may arise if:

• the child strongly bends the index finger and holds it with the outer part of the nail phalanx (while the thumb is located lower);
• the free tip of the pencil is directed not towards the shoulder of the working hand, but in any other direction.
• grooves remain on the paper, the stylus or rod tears the paper;
• there is weak pressure when writing;
• the baby uses the first two fingers when grasping, and the middle one does not participate in the process;
• The pencil is grasped correctly, but too low or high.

Improper pencil grip

Top ways to teach a child to hold a pen correctly

Not all parents know which technique is most effective in teaching children to optimally grip writing accessories. Experts identify several simple methods that are universal (suitable for all children) and effective (work in almost 100% of cases).

Parents just have to choose the most suitable method and begin the learning process.

Grasping with tweezers

To teach your baby to properly grasp a writing object in his hand, you need to use a tweezers “grip.” This is one of the simplest and most visual methods of holding pencils.

A smooth object is placed with the slate end down perpendicular to the tabletop. The child grabs the upper part with three working fingers, and then moves them down until they take the optimal position required when writing.

Napkin method

So that children's fingers can take the correct position, you need to stock up on half a napkin and a pencil in advance. The paper accessory needs to be folded 4 times, after which the baby presses it to the palm of the hand with the little finger and ring finger.

The child straightens the fingers that work when writing and takes a pencil with them as described above. “Extra” fingers will no longer prevent the baby from correctly grasping a writing object.

Darts

A child of 5 or 6 years old can be asked to throw darts to gain the correct grip. It turns out that darts is not just an exciting game, but also a kind of simulator that helps you understand the principle of holding a writing instrument.

The three-finger method of holding darts is similar to gripping a pencil or pen. Therefore, every time a child sits down to write a copybook or a notebook, remind them that the written object should be taken as a play accessory.

Crayons

Art crayons are another good option for teaching how to hold a pencil correctly.

First, the pastel must be broken into pieces, the length of which does not exceed three centimeters.

Children will not be able to hide such small crayons in their fist, so they will have to hold the pastel exclusively with three fingers.

After practicing with chalk, the child will be able to switch to more adult writing accessories without any problems.

Using an elastic band

A regular pharmaceutical rubber band worn on your wrist will help you master writing. The elastic band is slightly pulled up, a loop is made into which the handle is threaded closer to the cap. This way it will maintain the correct position when writing.

Using a handkerchief or napkin

If the ring and little fingers constantly prevent your baby from grasping a pencil correctly, you can use a small handkerchief or paper napkin. It is folded 4 times and placed on the palm. The last two fingers should press the napkin to your palm. Then you need to correctly grab the pencil with your working fingers. This method will help your child remember how to draw or write correctly.

Natural method

A smooth pencil or pen should be placed with the end of the lead down perpendicular to the tabletop. The writing instrument is grasped by the upper part with three working fingers - thumb, middle and index. After this, the child begins to move his fingers downwards, sliding them along the pencil until they take the optimal position that is required when writing. It is believed that the fingers themselves must take the correct position.

"Sleepy" way

We must put the pen or pencil to sleep in our hand. To do this, the child needs to imagine that the middle finger is a bed for writing. Place the pen on it, and under the tip of the pen or pencil - the pad of your index finger. The blanket is the thumb. Now you can start writing.

Mark on the finger

If your child still has difficulty understanding how to hold a writing instrument, use a simple technique that involves making a mark or dot on the spot on the middle finger where the pen should rest.

A similar mark, dot or plus sign must be placed on the handle, retreating 1.5 centimeters from the tip of the stylus. It is necessary to explain to the baby that these two marks must coincide in order to learn an ideal grip.

Using a rubber nozzle

A special rubber attachment with indentations for fingers is available in the office supply department. By putting such an elastic band on the handle, you can control the position of the first-grader’s fingers. He will write with pleasure, because it is both a pen and a fun toy at the same time.

Using a pen for first graders

You can buy a ready-made pen for first graders that has grooves for fingers. This handle is comfortable to hold, and your fingers automatically take the desired position. You can cut such a device yourself from regular elastic. The result is a wonderful simulator that can establish the correct grip and correct handwriting.

Using visual aids

Above the table you can hang a bright diagram showing how to use writing instruments correctly.

Correct posture is the key to beautiful handwriting

Before teaching your child to hold a pen correctly, pay attention to developing the correct position at the table. In order for mastering writing skills to bring only benefits, it is necessary to teach your child how to sit correctly. He must master the following rules:

1. Your back should be kept straight.
2. Feet must be placed on a flat surface (the floor or a special footrest).
3. Elbows should not hang down, but lie firmly on the edges of the table.
4. There should be a 2 centimeter gap between the table and the child.
5. The notebook should be at a 30-degree angle.

When teaching children to hold their hands while sitting at the table, follow an important rule. The knees, the line of the hips with the back and the hands on the table should form 3 right angles. The height of the chair should be parallel to the folds of the knees. In addition, it is desirable that not only the chair, but also the table have adjustment.

It is recommended to adjust not only the height, but also the level of inclination of the tabletop. The angle may be different, depending on the type of activity of the baby:

• pencil drawing – up to 5 degrees;
• working with the handle – about 15 degrees;
• reading – 30 degrees.

Learning to write using special tools

Stationery manufacturers came to the aid of parents and offered special tools that made writing much easier for the child. They are plastic, shaped attachments with holes in the shape of funny little animals.

Thanks to the presence of recesses on the handle in the necessary places, it is impossible to take it incorrectly. Products are made for both left-handers and right-handers. The simulator teaches children to hold their hands in the optimal position.

The training attachment is made from thermoplastic elastomer. It fits onto a regular standard-sized handle without an automatic mechanism. Advantages of the simulator:

• He teaches the correct placement of the phalanges of the fingers when mastering writing techniques.
• It keeps your hands relaxed, which reduces hand fatigue during long sessions.
• A parent can teach a child to write without constantly monitoring the process. There is no need to stand over it and check the correctness of the letter.
• It only takes 2 months to master the technique of working with a pen or pencil. After this period ends, the baby can continue to exercise, but without the simulator. Thanks to the development of “muscle memory”, the fingers themselves remember how to hold the pen.

You can also find triangular pencils in office supply stores. They are ideal for teaching your child to draw.

Handle – “self-taught”

This is a device that fits onto the handle. Thanks to him, it is simply impossible to grasp the pen incorrectly. In addition, you can find similar attachments in various colors and in the shape of animals. These simulators can be found for both right-handers and left-handers.

By the way, for kids who are just learning to hold a spoon in their hands, there is a special training spoon, thanks to which your child can learn to correctly hold cutlery in their hand.

Handle with finger tips

The handle has a triangular shape, the body is made of soft material, the weight and length of the handle are reduced. Also on the body of the handle there are recesses of a certain size. All this ensures the correct position of the pen in the child’s hand, and bright colors and cheerful design create a positive attitude towards learning.

Pincer grip method

• To do this, take a pencil or pen by the very tip and place it on the table.
• Now the fingers move downwards with sliding movements and the handle is in the hand in the correct position.
• Now all that remains is to control the tilt of the child’s hand.
• First, I recommend showing your child by example, doing these actions slowly, then invite your child to repeat after you.

Game "Good night, pen!"

This method is suitable for the youngest clerks. You can offer the baby to “put” a pen or pencil to sleep in the child’s hand: put the pen in the crib on the middle finger, the index finger under the head, and the thumb on top of the blanket.

The main task of an adult during the learning period is to regularly monitor the child’s correct grasp of writing materials. That is, while drawing you need to ensure the correct position of your fingers.

If you notice that the pencil is not being held correctly again, stop drawing and reposition it correctly.

It is worth remembering that when drawing, children usually squeeze the pencil very tightly. Your fingers sweat and your hand gets tired quickly. In this case, you need to do relaxation exercises. Let your child be interested in learning to draw. Give him a beautiful coloring book or offer to depict a plot from his favorite cartoon. If the child studies with pleasure, he will very soon achieve his first successes!

The most important thing is to remember that in preschool age the leading activity is play. This means that the result of any task depends on the form and even in what mood you present your child with any exercises or activities.

1. Teach your child to hold a pen correctly before the start of the school year, then you will be sure that your know-it-all will handle writing with ease, and most importantly, correctly.

"Bye-bye", pen

An important principle of learning is reliance on gaming activities. Young children have a hard time with regular schoolwork. That's why they like fun gymnastics and similar exercises.

At the age of six, the child begins to prepare for school. At this time, he is ready to master writing and reading. To help him understand how to hold a pen correctly and confidently, you can do a simple exercise with him.

For it you need to imagine a scene where the brush goes to sleep:

1. The middle finger will be the crib.
2. The handle must be placed on the crib.
3. The pad of the index finger is placed under its end.
4. Close the top with your thumb.

Note! From the outside it will look like the pen is lying in the crib. Children love games like these, where objects appear in an unusual form.

How to teach your child to hold a pen correctly when writing

According to some forecasts, in the near future, education systems will be completely modernized, and instead of notebooks and pens, which will become a thing of the past, students will use computers and other electronic devices. However, before it comes to that, beautiful and legible handwriting is an important element for successful study. Therefore, it is important for parents to know how to teach their child to hold a pen correctly when writing.

When to start teaching your child how to hold a pen correctly

Usually, parents begin to worry about how their son or daughter holds a pen only when they go to school, or during the preschool period. However, you should think about this much earlier.

At a very early age, when children begin to become familiar with the process of drawing, they hold pencils, markers or pens with all five fingers. And from now on, parents should show their children the correct grip using three fingers.

Having the right writing utensils can be of great help to parents. For example, babies' first pencils should be short and thick and triangular in shape. This shape promotes correct grip, thanks to which children intuitively learn to hold these pencils correctly when drawing.

Hand motor skills are an important part of learning to write.

If your child cannot learn to work with a pen (pencil), use motor skills exercises. They will also contribute to the development of beautiful handwriting.

There are several accessible ways to train hand motor skills at home, using improvised objects:

• Scatter the beads in a bowl and ask your child to put them back together by stringing them on a string.
• Cut out all kinds of shapes with your baby.
• Invite your child to untie the knots you made in advance.
• Ask your little helper to sew a button to a garment or simply to a piece of fabric.
• Shape the dough together and you'll get the double benefit of a kitchen helper and a child who knows how to work with a pen or pencil.
• You can purchase special horizontal bars for your fingers or contact a physiotherapist (he will suggest a set of exercises).
• Act out a fairy tale with your child. Let his fingers become imaginary characters in the game.

Exercise to form a correct grip

It is very difficult for a baby to master the correct position of his fingers. Put aside drawing lessons for a while and do exercises that develop the correct grip of a pencil. Don't do serious training, your child will quickly get bored with it. Everything should take place in the form of a game.

Do 8 exercises and see what your baby does better. Try the following methods.

1. First, you can caress the pencil. Place it vertically, resting the lower end on a hard surface. The baby takes the top part with his thumb, index and middle finger and drags it down, as if stroking it.
2. The hand is tired and wants to sleep. The middle finger will be the crib, the index finger will be the pillow, and the thumb will be the blanket. At the same time, you can hum a lullaby, or say “Bai-bai.” When the writing instrument is in the correct position, you can put your fist on the table and move it across the paper, with these lines the pencil will say “Thank you” for a good rest.
3. Pencil towel. Give your baby a small piece of fabric, which he will have to press against his palm with his little finger and index finger. Say that the pen has washed itself and wants to dry itself, or that it needs to blow its nose into a handkerchief. You need to hold the napkin and take the writing instrument. It will be very difficult to grab it the wrong way; most likely, your fingers will take the right position.
4. Writing tip. In children's stationery departments you can find a large selection of special attachments in the form of funny animals, birds, and fish. Your pencil got itself a cat, now you need to play with it. The device has holes for fingers; the baby will definitely grasp the pen correctly and will be able to draw various “scribbles”.
5. Training simulators. If you want your child to immediately grasp the writing instrument correctly without much practice, buy a Stabilo LeftRight training pen. On its triangular surface there are grooves for fingers, the baby will immediately pick it up in the right way and be able to draw.
6. Crayons. Does your stubborn person just not want to make friends with a pencil and hold it correctly? Out of resentment, the pencil left such an owner, now you can only draw with crayons. Do not give your baby a large rod; break off a small piece that cannot be grasped in your fist. It is difficult to draw with two fingers; the stylus tilts one way or the other. As a result, the child will have to take it in the desired way - with tweezers.
7. Darts. Teach your child to play darts, this will perfectly prepare his hand for writing. You can only throw a dart with three fingers. First, the child hit the target with arrows, now you can take a pen in the same way and try to hit the right place on a piece of paper.
8. Combining points. Disciplined children who love order in everything can be explained that, just as all toys have their own corners, the pencil should lie in the right place in the hand. Draw dots on the middle finger and on the body of the pen. Now you need to align the marks, hold the writing instrument with two other fingers - and the drawing will turn out beautiful.

Advice

If your child is left-handed, teach him to hold the pen in the same position, but in his left hand. The index finger will be on top and the thumb on the side. When purchasing exercise equipment, make sure that the label indicates that the device is intended for the left hand.

Exercises should not tire the baby, so each exercise can be done as long as he likes it. Usually interest lasts no more than 4-5 times, and fidgets can get bored even after 2 repetitions. The signal that the lesson is over for today will be the child’s loss of interest. It is advisable not to even wait for “full saturation”, but to switch to another activity when the young artist is ready to stain the paper a little more. The next time you call him to the drawing table, he will run with great eagerness.

Teach your child to control how correctly he holds his pen. Let him raise his index finger, while the writing instrument should remain in place.

To keep your baby from getting bored, learn funny poems and nursery rhymes with him. For example:

“To write letters,

And not squiggles,

Need to be held correctly

This pen is in the pen."

If parents must monitor the correct position of the pencil and posture at the table, then there is no need to interfere with the creative process. You can invite your child to draw a house or a tree, but don’t give him a copybook, don’t force him to draw the same hook 10 times. A preschooler’s hand is not yet ready for calligraphy; he will be taught how to write letters correctly at school, but now such an activity will only tire the child and make him bored. After this, it will be very difficult to introduce your child to drawing.

The little ones want to draw - give them a wax crayon.

As a rule, insufficient attention to the development of fine motor skills in children leads to incorrect holding of pens and pencils. Being very tiny, babies hold toys with all their fingers at once. This is also the first time they hold a pencil in their fist, and over time this grip turns into a bad habit.

Perhaps this is why you should not start teaching a child the fine arts right away with framed writing objects (felt-tip pens, fountain pens). Wax crayons are better. A child will not be able to pick up a crayon broken into several pieces other than with three fingers.

Does my handwriting need to be corrected?

Ugly, illegible handwriting is a serious obstacle to the correct perception of text. Sometimes it is difficult even for the child himself to understand where he made a mistake, and where he did not complete a letter or added an extra element. It is not surprising that teachers and testing experts often mistakenly mark one or another letter as a defect. In addition, poor handwriting gives the entire work a sloppy appearance and reduces the overall impression. The child himself begins to have a negative attitude towards learning. That is why it is necessary to correct handwriting already in elementary school.

Just grab the handle and start throwing darts.

Playing darts may be more suitable as an additional activity. It is simply impossible to throw a dart without properly gripping it with three fingers. Then try with your child to draw a few letters in the sand with a dart. And later, you can invite the child to imagine that the pen is also a dart.

The game of Darts itself is a good way to develop harmony in hand and eye movements. Regular play significantly improves their coordination.

To prevent kids from getting hurt by sharp darts, you can buy a children's version of the game with magnets on the darts instead of sharp spikes.

How else can you help your child improve his handwriting?

Teach your child to hold his back

Perform special exercises daily aimed at developing correct posture. Once the spine is in a “flat” position, the brain will receive more oxygen and nutrients that neurons need to form connections properly.

Develop fine motor skills and visual-spatial perception

There are many interesting games and exercises that your child will enjoy and will have a positive effect on handwriting: modeling, origami, construction sets, puzzles, games with sand, colored rice, water.

Another very useful thing is a writing attachment.

Manufacturers of stationery supplies have helped to introduce variety into learning how to teach a child to hold a pen correctly. They offer another “special tool” that makes it much easier for children to learn to write. These are plastic attachments for handles, produced in the form of figures of various animals. “A cat came to visit the pen and wants to play a little” - with these words you can start the lesson by purchasing such an attachment in the children's stationery department. Each of these attachments can be attached to a fountain pen without much effort.

These “special tools” are made in such a way that by placing their fingers in special recesses, the baby simply will not be able to grasp the handle incorrectly. An important fact is that attachments are made for both left-handers and right-handers.

The advantages of using them include:

• the simplicity of the process of correctly positioning the fingers on the handle;
• the ability not to strain the hand, which reduces its fatigue;
• no need for constant parental supervision.

After about 2 months, the need to use such an attachment will no longer be necessary. The child will be able to continue training, thanks to “muscle memory”, without the simulator. The fingers themselves will remember how to hold the pen.

Pencil attachment as a teaching technique

The problem of teaching writing also worries manufacturers of writing accessories. In office departments, parents can purchase special attachments that are made in the shape of little animals.

These devices have special small recesses and recesses. If the rubber attachment is put on the handle, then the child simply will not be able to grasp the writing instrument incorrectly.

On the Internet you can find many positive reviews about such an accessory as a training pen for teaching correct grip. The accessory looks like a fish with special indentations. Manufacturers and parents claim that such a simulator can even correct a child’s handwriting.

Another option for educational writing devices is pens from the Stabilо LeftRight series. These devices were developed with the participation of doctors, teachers and ergonomic specialists. The triangular handles already have special attachments with indentations that help the “scribe” to grasp the item correctly.

In addition, the writing utensils are made of light, soft material, and their coloring gives children a good mood, which is also important when deciding how to teach a child to hold a pencil correctly.

Another life hack is a paper clip.

If you don’t yet have one of the special tools we listed on hand, there is another alternative. You may be able to get a paper clip from somewhere. Many websites devoted to this topic write about a paper clip, but a paper clip twisted from wire is a completely different office accessory.

Attach the clamp to the handle. The “ears” should stick up. Before starting classes, explain to your child that:

The little one is attentive

Makes friends with animals

index finger,

Places between ears.

This arrangement of fingers will help the child hold the pen correctly.

A sock with three holes will help you learn a lesson.

In order to teach your child how to hold a pen correctly when writing, you can use another method that will definitely cheer him up. You will need a simple children's sock, although of course it is better to take some kind of multi-colored one to make it more fun. You will need to make 3 holes in the sock for the toes. The “extra” ring and little fingers will remain “at home” and will not “get in the way.” You can sew eyes, a mouth and ears onto the sock, and turn the whole process into a game.

You can use a mitten, making holes for the “working” fingers accordingly. Although, given the increased frost resistance of the mittens, it may be too hot to write in them.

Is your child ready for school?

How to determine if a child is ready to write? For this purpose, teachers have compiled many tests. For example, the Kern-Jorasick “School Maturity” test (easy to find on the Internet) is aimed, among other things, at determining whether the future student’s hand is properly prepared.

You can ask your child to complete the following tasks:

1. Show your preschooler a drawn circle with a diameter of 3 - 3.5 cm. Ask him to draw exactly the same one. When evaluating assignment performance, consider the following:

• The child must draw a figure close in size to the original one.
• The circle should resemble a circle (even if not perfectly smooth), not like some other geometric figure.
• The line should be solid (continuous), smooth, and fairly confidently drawn.
• The pressure should not be too weak.
• The child’s movements when completing the task should be free and confident.

1. Ask your preschooler to shade any simple silhouette (cloud, ball, pear). If your child has not done shading before, show him a sample. The child can choose the direction of the shading (horizontally, vertically, diagonally). When evaluating the results, consider:

• Evenness and parallelism of lines. Accuracy of execution.
• Precision of movements.
• Maintain approximately the same spacing between lines.

Note! If the small muscles of the hand are not well developed, then the child will turn over the sheet on which he is working, because it will be easier for him to do this than to arbitrarily change the direction of movement of the hand.
Even if your child doesn’t start school this year, do these tests and you will see whether your baby’s hand needs to be prepared more carefully and purposefully. If yes, then use the methods suggested in the article or come up with your own. And everything will work out for you.

Are the methods suitable for left-handed people?

Methods for teaching correct posture when writing can be used for both right-handed and left-handed people. The only thing parents need to remember is that the position of the fingers in the second case will be mirrored. The index finger will hold the handle not on the right, but on the left.

Why you don’t need to retrain your child

Left-handers are more emotional and prone to creative activities. Moreover, many of them write equally well with their right and left hands without pressure from adults. What to do in such cases is up to the parents to decide, but modern research confirms that retraining a left-handed child is harmful to his mental and physical health. The consequences of such pressure can be enuresis, neurosis, developmental delays, stuttering, sleep disturbances, headaches and other problems.

Formation of writing skills in children

Writing is one of the ways of speaking. The process of developing a skill is long and complex. It starts at the age of two or three and continues until the age of seven, when children enter first grade. Many parents start preparing their children for school in advance. They buy notebooks with copybooks of letters, and do not understand why many days of hard training do not produce results.

It is important to know the difference between preparing to write and learning to write. In preschool age, full-fledged writing is impossible due to age-related characteristics of the structure of the nervous system. At this stage, the emphasis is on general physical development and strengthening the muscles of the hand, on developing perseverance, coordination of body movements, concentration, and visual orientation.

Writing skills are developed in three stages:

• analytical - thinking about each movement and analyzing it, for example, how it is more convenient to take the handle, with what force to press, etc.
• synthetic – combining elements into a holistic process, conscious thinking about each step, visual control of each action;
• automation means that the skill has been formed: the child, without thinking, completes written tasks, hand movements are smooth, effortless.

In preschool age, the child gains graphic experience, learns to use written objects and observe hygiene rules. The child acquires the skills to correctly tilt a notebook, write individual letters and words of the required size and at the required angle, and correct body position while writing.

Why do errors occur?

The situation when a child incorrectly holds a pen, pencils, or markers while writing is quite common. Where does this problem come from? This habit is formed at a very early age, long before entering school.

It all can start from the period when the child becomes interested in the rattle, holding it in his hand. Then comes the turn of brushes, soft pencils, with which the baby draws scribbles on scrapbook paper.

In addition, the skill of holding writing instruments is developed by working with plasticine or a special test.

Correct pinching and sculpting is done with the right hand, using the thumb, index and middle fingers.

From the age of 4, it is necessary to observe how the child draws. Some kids hold a pencil in their fist. Others squeeze the writing instrument with excessive force.

The process of forming a grip cannot be left to chance. If a child holds markers the way he wants, then he will have to be retrained at school. The sooner the correct grip is formed, the easier the first grader will be able to adapt to school.

By the age of 6, children should already be able to use a pencil, even if it is just drawing patterns in copybooks or tracing block letters. Moreover, parents need to constantly monitor the correctness of the letter in order to prevent relearning.

Why is this so important?

The child grabs a pencil for the first time and tries to draw something on paper. Mom looks at his clumsy movements with emotion. Don’t expect that over time he will understand that with the correct position of the pen, writing and drawing is much easier. An incorrect grip can become a habit, and it will be very difficult to retrain your baby. Problems will arise at school, and may continue into adulthood. The child will learn to write, perhaps even develop legible handwriting, but the sight of a writing instrument inexplicably sticking out of his fingers will cause ridicule from those around him. And this is only one side of the issue. If the position of the pen (pencil) in the hand is incorrect, when using it, the load is distributed ineffectively - it goes to the entire hand and wrist, whereas with the correct position, the work is carried out using the fingers, which allows you to write quickly, beautifully (legibly) and not get tired.

In the lower grades, an attentive teacher can begin to re-educate the student, but the habit developed over the years will take over. The child will constantly receive comments and will try for a long time to set the handle in the desired position. You will have to focus not on solving examples, but on fighting an unruly writing device. If the teacher does not pay attention to the incorrect grip, the student’s hand will quickly begin to tire, and he will become slower than others in writing essays and dictations. Problems may also arise with vision and posture.

If you, against your child’s wishes, begin to force him to take the pencil correctly, the child may be offended, cry and lose interest in visual arts for a long time.

Advice

To avoid conflicts, do not put writing instruments together with other toys, put them in the closet. The first acquaintance with pens and markers is best done under the guidance of mom or dad, as soon as the parents notice the child’s interest in drawing.

Tips for parents

1. As soon as the baby picks up a pencil, you need to immediately form the correct grip on this instrument.
2. Under no circumstances should you shout at a child, scold him for ugly letters or a “bad” drawing.
3. In kindergarten and school, enough attention is paid to correct posture and the position of the pen in the hand. But you should not completely shift the responsibility of teaching your child how to properly grip a written instrument to the educator or teacher. Take this process under your control, then the child will not have problems with academic performance and health.
4. Drawing classes under the supervision of a teacher will help to train the child’s hand and develop attention and perseverance.

It doesn't matter which hand the child writes with. The main thing is to teach him how to hold a pen correctly when writing and follow the teacher’s recommendations. After all, academic performance, health, and good mood depend on it.

Correct posture and posture at the table

Children are active and restless. It is difficult to expect that every time a child picks up a pencil or pen, his posture will be correct. However, we must strive to ensure that classes take place with the least harm to the child’s posture.

The correct position is when the feet are completely on the floor, the thighs are parallel to the floor, and the shins are perpendicular. The child should place his elbows on the table.

It is especially important to ensure that the baby “keeps his back.”

The distance between the body and the table is about 2 cm.

A sheet of paper or notebook is placed on the table at an angle of about 30 degrees to the body.

Obviously, all these conditions can be met only by having a table and a chair of a certain height (the seat of the chair is at knee level, the surface of the table is at elbow level). Only in this case can you provide your child with healthy and correct posture and protect him from health problems.

conclusions

It often happens that the child does not want to hold the pen correctly, squeezing it into a fist or holding it in other ways that are convenient for him. Such a bad habit can make any mother nervous, because this makes the baby quickly get tired of writing (or drawing, shading, painting), and not only the child’s handwriting deteriorates, but also his posture. This is why it is very important to teach your child how to hold writing objects correctly. Using the little tricks described in the article, you can make this process more effective and painless.

Sources

• https://GotovlusKShkole.ru/zanyatiya/obshchiye_po_vozrastam/kak-nauchit-rebenka-derzhat-ruchku-ili-karandash
• https://umnazia.ru/blog/all-articles/kak-nauchit-rebenka-pravilno-derzhat-ruchku
• https://www.center-sozvezdie.ru/journal/kak-nauchit-rebenka-pravilno-derzhat-karandash-i-ruchku.html
• https://adella.ru/family/child-develop/kak-pravilno-derzhat-ruchku-pri-pisme.html
• https://Razvivashka.online/fizicheskoe/pravilno-derzhat-ruchku
• https://ru.wikihow.com/%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B6%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C-%D1%80%D1%83%D1% 87%D0%BA%D1%83
• https://kroha.info/razvitie/kak-nauchit-rebyonka-derzhat-ruchku
• https://orechi.ru/korrektsiya/kak-nauchit-rebenka-pravilno-derzhat-ruchku-i-karandash
• https://zen.yandex.ru/media/about_you_ru/kak-nauchit-malysha-pravilno-derjat-ruchku-5c9e2ef3082afd00b36c08aa
• https://rdbkomi.ru/zabolevaniya/kak-pravilno-derzhat-ruchku-pri-pisme-6-sekretov-ot-detskogo-psihologa-kak-nauchit-rebyonka.html
• https://vospitanie.guru/doshkolniki/kak-priuchit-rebenka-pravilno-polzovatsya-karandashom-ili-ruchkoj
• https://pro-vospitan.ru/kak-nauchit-rebyonka-pravilno-derzhat-ruchku-pri-pisme/
• https://mir-logiki.ru/kak-naucit-rebenka-derzat-karandas-pravilno/

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What is important for preparation

In order to facilitate the process of developing writing skills, reduce stress and not cause a negative attitude towards school, it is necessary to train the hand from the age of three.

General physical development

Good physical fitness plays an important role in the formation of beautiful handwriting. Strengthening the muscular system promotes endurance and allows you to sit at your desk during the lesson. Strong back muscles prevent curvature of the spine and maintain correct posture. Developed muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms relieve rapid fatigue, trembling and muscle spasms.

The child develops physically during active games on the street, riding a bicycle or scooter, jumping on a trampoline or inflatable slide, etc.

Motor skills

These are coordinated movements aimed at performing some action.

Motor skills are divided into:

• large – this is coordination of movements, maintaining balance, awareness of the position of the body in space: walking, running, standing up, sitting down, lying down, turning;
• fine - precise movements of the fingers.

To develop writing skills, it is equally important to pay attention to the development of both types of motor skills. When writing, the small muscles of the hand and the large muscles of the body are used to keep the body in a straight position.

Orientation in space

It will be easy for a child to navigate in a notebook or on a piece of paper if he knows such concepts as right-left, top-bottom, side, center, corner. To do this, when talking with your baby while dressing and undressing, walking, bathing, feeding, pay his attention to what the right and left arms or legs are doing. Ask what is seen ahead and what is left behind.

Graphic skills

In the process of drawing, the muscles of the hand are trained. Hatching, coloring, and drawing in cells develops the skill of observing boundaries, writing hygiene, and the ability to navigate in space.

"Skillful Hands"

An integrated approach to developing skills, which includes various kinds of crafts, appliqués, modeling, design, knitting and embroidery. Fine motor skills, spatial orientation, perseverance, concentration, and accuracy are improved.