How to help Year 1 child with poor pencil grip

[Thesnailonthewhale]

DD6 has a terrible pencil grip. See photo
She's 6 in Year 1 and the school are refusing to help correct the grip. Which is where she does most of her writing.

What can we do?

The best way to improve pencil grip it to do things that build muscles in the hands e.g.
Playdough
Threading
Lego
Activities that involve crawling on the floor

Its even better if they enjoy the activity as they will want to do them.

Picture this time.

I went to secondary with a boy who has a similar gripe, but he had 2 fingers right up the end of the pen! I'm surprised he didn't get a cramp.

I have no personal experience but would a pencil grip, which makes the circumference of the pen/pencil thicker help? I found this site which has lots of things too:
https://www.thedyslexiashop.co.uk/collections/pens-pencils-and-writing-aids?srsltid=AfmBOoo9hPAJcPfgAboX6z7J0B2YcCot2rT95xJ1tmlH9ss7anBI4TvK

What do you mean school are refusing to help correct it?

PP is correct in that Fine Motor Skills activities will help strengthen the muscles needed for good pencil grip, and get her used to bending them properly.

In my class we use a mixture of 'pinch and flick' (point the tip of the pencil towards you on a table, pick it up with thumb and bent index finger then flick it so the tip is downwards) and holding a balled up tissue. Once the child is holding the pencil correctly (you may have to manipulate their fingers around the pencil yourself), get them to hold a balled up tissue between the tips of their little finger and the one next to it against the palm of their hand. This stops them uncurling their fingers and gripping incorrectly as they write.

Google pencil grips for dyspraxia, there are loads of options to help. I'm surprised school aren't interested in helping, poor pencil grip is known to lead to all sorts of potential problems as they get older and have to write more, especially in exams where time is limited.

Does She have hypermobility in her hands or elsewhere too?

Get her to hold a small pom pom or similar in her fingers leaving the thumb and forefinger free. Then get her to hold a pencil. It worked for my Reception class and when I retired I invigilated some of the same children doing their GCSEs I was glad to see none of the students with poor pencil grip were mine.

Try this pencil grip for her. I think it will work well.

That looks very awkward to me.

We use it at school and it would work well for this particular pencil grip issue.

Can you explain what you mean about the school refusing? What conversations have you had?

Trh teacher basically said they won't correct it because they let them develop their own style whilst they build stamina....

So weird.

My ds used something like these.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Premier-Stationery-Solutions-Triangular-Grippers/dp/B00BZ2WQF4/ref=asc_df_B00BZ2WQF4?mcid=5ee9f5e24fc83cad82f07600839de200&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696351256698&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7006424196650978744&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045129&hvtargid=pla-680944381427&psc=1&hvocijid=7006424196650978744-B00BZ2WQF4-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

Just seen this whilst looking for the above.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handwriting-Pencil-STABILO-EASYergo-Sharpener/dp/B00T7UM1ME/ref=asc_df_B00T7UM1ME?mcid=228a2a4e8f1e336fb05584a330638998&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697245503955&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15825644069351493052&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045129&hvtargid=pla-338179548674&psc=1&hvocijid=15825644069351493052-B00T7UM1ME-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

Dr doesn't seem to think so. She got checked maybe a year ago.

That is strange. I teach KS1. It’s very hard to reteach once they’ve learnt bad habits but I recommend the pencil grip posted above or a triangular pencil which forces a correct grip.

Try getting her to write/draw with small pieces of chalk on a vertical surface ( blackboard or tape sugar paper to a wall/door). It is nearly impossible to use anything but a proper grip with a small piece of chalk. Ditto very short ends of pencils

When I was a kid we used to buy pencil grips, little rubber things that would essentially force you to hold it in the right way. No matter how much I used them I always reverted back to my original way and still do it to his day.

If you have the little tiny rubber hair bands, these can work well - one end round the thumb, under the pencil and the other end round the first finger. Also like a hairband sellotaped to the other end of the pencil and round the wrist so that the pencil is angled a bit backward.

I agree.

Get a pencil grip.as a teacher I would gently be correcting it. Strengthen hands and fingers. Check out Dough Disco on you tube. Use bubble wrap and pop bubbles with finger and thumb, pegs are great for strengthening

My DD's teacher recommended a pencil grip too and it is really helping. We use these ones as recommended as the teacher said some can be tricky for small hands.

https://amzn.eu/d/0aJ2coHg

The bobble trick

I found these two articles helpful in understanding the underlying skills behind pencil grip. This first one shows some examples of different grips and explains the usual order of "evolution" and why they tend to develop in that way, which is to do with where they are controlling the movement of the pencil from:

https://www.occuplaytional.com/2023/10/11/pencil-grasp/

And then this one goes further into how strength develops in the different muscle groups in general:

https://www.occuplaytional.com/2023/09/10/core-strength-the-power-of-play/

If you wanted some more tailored support and you have the funds it might be worth looking into occupational therapy as they are trained to support with this whereas teachers aren't really.

She does the dough disco, she's pegs things, uses chops sticks, tweezers, sews, plays Lego,.

We do everything recommended and always have :( the teachers in reception were banging on about her fine motor control, but couldn't point to any examples of of being "poor" other than in her writing. They admitted she can do all other fine motor stuff just fine (she's was the one doing others kids buttons and zips up)! If anything she has gross motor issues...in that she's very clumsy.

They don't really know what's going on I don't think 🤔 I looked into hyoermobility, doctor basically mocked me for bringing her in to GPs.

She can and will do tripod grip if you remind her.
.bit you have to do this every minute or so... And then she gets annoyed and grumpy because it's constant and I have to watch her every single time she wants to write or draw or colour and then go in and carry....it's draining!

Thinking of bribing her tbh!