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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

When do children normally display a preference for one hand over the other?

23 replies

PiccadillyCircus · 27/04/2006 12:08

DS is 2.5 and for a while we have wondered if he is left handed. He naturally seems to do things with his left hand, although will use the right hand for some.

When does it generally settle down?

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sandyballs · 27/04/2006 12:11

One of my twin DD's dithered about this until about 3.5/4. She is now 5 and in reception and always uses her left hand for writing and colouring etc.

starlover · 27/04/2006 12:14

i was wondering this too! ds is only 14 months but he does nearly everything with his left hand

ProfYaffle · 27/04/2006 12:18

DD has seemed to prefer her left hand since she was about 15 mo I think. She's just 2 now and does everything with her left hand.

Christie · 27/04/2006 16:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LilacBump · 27/04/2006 16:10

always read they switch until about 4. was true for DD.

spursmum · 27/04/2006 16:13

Ds is still choosing. He'll do something with one hand then change over and carry on. Take breakfast, He'll eat with his right hand till that side of the bowl is clear then swaps hands!!!
But he is left footed. he only kicks with his left, can't get to grips with his right.
Oh and ds is 4.

Matonic · 27/04/2006 16:39

My Ds is 4.3 and still can't decide. He seems to prefer to write with his left hand, but as he himself points out the result is often neater if he uses his right hand.
He will write on his blackboard with a piece of chalk in each hand and do alternate strokes with each.
Absolutely everyone says it doesn't matter a hoot and that he'll settle down with one or the other sooner or later. Or not, I suppose - ambidexterity could be very useful.

JonesTheSteam · 27/04/2006 16:43

DD is 5 and a half, and up until Christmas time she hadn't settled on a hand.

After sitting with her to do homework, etc. it's obvious that while the letters she forms (with either hand!) look very similar on the paper, it seems to 'flow' better with her LH. I've gently encouraged her to use her LH and now she uses it whenever she writes.

However when she colours in she swaps to her right sometimes and tells me her LH is tired!!!! . TBH her colouring is about the same with both hands!!!

She eats with both hands as well.

zippitippitoes · 27/04/2006 16:46

Christie is that the right way round because I tried the arm crossing and the hand clasping and mine came out the opposite!

coppertop · 27/04/2006 16:48

Ds2 has always preferred to use his left hand. At 3.3yrs he still does most things left-handed.

Ds1 didn't really show a preference until he started school at 4yrs old. He is right-handed.

carlk · 27/04/2006 16:52

bizarre just did the arm crossing and fingers clasping and it came out wrong

starlover · 27/04/2006 19:16

i just did the clasping and crossing and it came out wrong too!

alex8 · 27/04/2006 19:18

it was right for me

notasheep · 27/04/2006 19:23

dd did everything left handed so was very obvious with her wooden spoon and saucepan at 18 months.

what does it matter anyway? Let them use the hand they want to

hub2dee · 27/04/2006 19:29

Yeah, my thumbs didn't perform as suggested. LOL

tegan · 27/04/2006 19:50

dd1 always prefered her left but changed to her right when she started school, and now dd2 is a lefty but will she stay that way.

snuffy143 · 27/04/2006 19:56

I was taught to write by my older brother who is very LH. I only write with my LH, all other skills are RH. I apparently could write with either hand in reception but now only left. DD is strongly RH. DS is 4 and a month and undecided! I don't mind at all what he does - I get very excited when he holds a pencil and writes anything at all! Who cares with which hand?!

hana · 27/04/2006 20:19

dd2 favours her left hand for eating and holding things - she is only 16 months. at the same age dd1 favoured her right hand and is right handed today at 4

CristinaTheAstonishing · 27/04/2006 20:22

DS took well over 2 years to decide. He's right handed and left footed. Apparently, so are the great footballers.

Christie · 27/04/2006 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CatherineG · 27/04/2006 22:42

ds1 (3.5yo) appeared left handed from when he first started grabbing at things (only months old), and as time progressed definately appears to be left handed. He can use either hand but if finding something difficult with his right will switch to his left (he never does this the other way round). He is definately much better with his left.

pebblemum · 27/04/2006 23:04

We think ds2(2.7yrs) is going to be left handed. When he draws he mainly used his left and when he plays golf although he can use both he mainly swings with his left but everything else is done with the right.

Ds1 was right handed from day one, ds2 is a bit slower in making up his mind.

littleshebear · 27/04/2006 23:11

My ds1,who's left handed, always used his left hand for feeding, grasping and so on, from a very early age - about 6 months - it was very marked. Everyone said it wouldn't continue as neither of us is left handed, but it did. He has never used his right hand at all for writing or whatever. The next two were just as strongly right handed, but my ds2 has always used both but now uses her right hand more, (aged3.5). So I suppose it depends on the child, like most things!

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