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Left handedness in 3 year old? How do we know?

10 replies

Lovelydiscusfish · 11/05/2015 23:28

Dd (just 3) is really keen on her emerging reading skills, and seems to be doing well with this. She is also keen on starting to write, but in this area seems to be lagging behind her reading (as far as I can tell - no expert!) I know this could well just be a normal developmental thing. But I have been wondering...
Today, for example, we were doing some of the literacy and maths bits in one of those toddler magazines. There was a space for them to write their name, and she wanted to have a go, so I just thought I'd let her have at it, without any help. Her name has an "a", which she did first, quite well. It also has a "v", which she wrote as an "n". She identified that she'd done it upside down, laughed about it, attempted it a few times more, but it always came out as an "n". This is typical - she's fine with the ball and stick type letters, and ones like "i", "t", "l" etc, but anything else just comes out unrecognisable.
I realised very recently that she will pick up the pen when she wants to write (or draw) in either hand - probably as many times for each. I always encourage her to swap to her right, as I had just assumed right handedness (I know I shouldn't have).
So how can I tell, and what is best to do? Can I even tell yet? Should I just not mention it, so she has a go with either?
For what it's worth, dh is convinced she's right-footed (in a footballing sense). I think he's right. But don't know if there's any correlation?
Sorry for massive (quite boring) post! Any insights most gratefully received!

OP posts:
steppemum · 11/05/2015 23:43

she is doing very well to be writing recognisable letters at 3.

Until about 4 or 5 they do switch back and forth. it is something to do with what is happening in their brains, (can't remember the details but just as an example), it is typical between 12 months and 18 months to be more right handed to go with what brain is doing and then at 16 months switch to left as brain moves on to next thing.

So there is no point in pushing left or right, it will come naturally and may still change.

Having said all that, ds was massively right handed from very early age, and never appeared to switch. dd1 was totally ambidextrous, and we thought she was left handed and then at 4.5 suddenly started writing with right hand.

Lovelydiscusfish · 12/05/2015 06:47

Thank you for your reply, Steppe, that's really interesting. I will immediately stop suggesting she switch to the right (she will be pleased - I think I have got on her nerves by doing do - she would always sigh impatiently and sort of roll her eyes as she did it!)
I've no idea why the fact that she could be left handed didn't occur to me - feel quite guilty and stupid about that!

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CorBlimeyTrousers · 12/05/2015 06:59

I agree to just let her write with whichever hand she wants. Our 4yo son is left handed (and left footed as it happens and swings a golf club left handed - these things don't always go together) and my husband was convinced of this quite early on but I was reluctant to say 'he's left handed' until we were sure. He did tend to do things with his left hand from an early age but still used his right hand sometimes.

I agree she's doing well to write recognisable letters (with either hand!) at 3yo. Our son is a summer baby in reception and I know his writing isn't as good as others in his class. His teacher wasn't sure he'd reach the writing target by the end of the year. I hope he'll get there in time and his reading and general communication is good so I hope that bodes well.

steppemum · 12/05/2015 09:37

CorBlimey - my ds scribbled until 4, and then learnt to write his name, but his drawing etc was rubbish. He is dec birthday, if he had been summer, he would not have got his writing targets in reception at all.

He is now 12 and at a super selective grammar. He didn't really read til year 3 either. Late developer, very common in boys.

They are so little in reception, there is plenty of time, even if school doesn't think so!

steppemum · 12/05/2015 09:38

(mind you his handwriting is still rubbish Grin)

Idontseeanydragons · 12/05/2015 09:42

A good way to help her feel comfortable with which hand is best for her is to put the pencil in front of her in the middle and just let her pick.
Out of my 3 DC's one is left, one is right and DD2 (same age as yours) still wavers between both but seems to favour her right at the moment.
DS is left handed and has been since he first picked up a crayon - in cricket he bowls left handed but bats right handed. In football he's right footed so I don't think it makes a difference.

NotCitrus · 12/05/2015 09:43

I used to put everything in front of ds in the middle, for grabbing with either hand. From around 18 months the left was used at least equally to the right, and I figured he was left handed. He never liked drawing until he was 4. Age 6, he is definitely left handed and can draw and write averagely for his age.
Dd from a year only grabbed with her right hand. Clearly right-handed.

findingherfeet · 12/05/2015 09:51

My 3yo DD can write letters well but she is also left handed and will often go to write the letters to the left, ie writing backwards!

They're only little, they'll work it out.

Lovelydiscusfish · 12/05/2015 18:53

Thank you all so much for your responses - really interesting to read the different experiences, and useful too.

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Ferguson · 15/05/2015 18:55

Is she at pre-school and starting 'reading'?

If you do letters with her, make sure you are using the correct Phonics sounds. Cbeebies Alphablocks gives good examples:

www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/alphablocks

When the time comes to start something a bit more 'academic', this is about the best resource you can get:

An inexpensive and easy to use book, that can encourage children with reading, spelling and writing, and really help them to understand Phonics, is reviewed in the MN Book Reviews section. Just search ‘Phonics’.

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