Handwriting is Not Just How you hold the Pencil! (click picture)

Over the past 40+ years as an occupational therapist, I can’t begin to count how many referrals I have gotten for students who have poor grasp and/or handwriting skills. I see a plethora of suggestions online such as Pinterest and I cringe. What one forgets is that pencil grasp and handwriting is developed only after isolated finger movements and strength are well established. In addition, children have to visualize what they are going to write about and have the language skills to formulate their ideas. Standardized assessments expect these skills to be developed after the age of 5. Therefore, preschoolers should be coloring, drawing, painting, building with clay, and/or arts and crafts, and not practicing tracing their names or letters. This can contribute to poor grasp patterns and handwriting skills. So please focus on finger games such as the “itsy-bitsy spider” or “where is Thumbkin” and play with clay (I particularly like “Model Magic”), build with Legos and engage in symbolic play.