At what age are they meant to hold a pencil properly?

[fadingfast]

DS is 4 and will still insist on holding his pens/pencils in a fist most of the time. If I suggest he might like to try it the 'proper' way he gets all huffy with me. I know I mustn't push but I was thinking he really should at least be holding a pen properly by the time he starts school in September.

How old was your DC when s/he started holding a pen properly?

my 4 yr old doesn't.

Pretty much from the first time she picked up a pencil to scribble in earnest - about 1yr. I was a bit surprised I didn't have to show her how to hold it.

I'd say let him hold it anyway he wants to. they won't be expecting anything of him when he starts school. And all kids are different. You might put him off altogether.

I would certainly help him to hold it properly.

Talk about moving his froggy legs to hold it and show him.

Bad habits learned at this age are hard to unlearn ime.

12

Agree with Clary. Pencil grip is difficult to correct.

dd2 is now getting the hang at nearly 4, but she took some help and reminding. I kept it gentle though.

I work with someone who still does write that way, she just never did agree at school to try to change and her mum backed her so they let it go.

I still hold mine wrong, my writing is good though.

I dont think I could ever change, I've tried so may be best to tackle now in a fun way.

how about getting him a big trianglar pencil or some pencil grips for him to help position his fingers... does his nursery correct his grip?

can you tell that this is a big bugbear of mine... it is hard to correct when they are older, and imo it does hold them back when they learn to write more if they end up moving their whole arm to write as opposed to their fingers.

Yes I also work with someone who holds it in his fist.

Looks very odd. Funnily enough we are both wordsmiths so I guess it hasn't held him back but it's not ideal...

Agree re pencil grips, helped DS1 a lot.

I'd do lots of fine motor and pinching activities with him eg playdough,lego etc. Give him loads of opportunities to paint,use crayons,Aquadraw etc in a relaxed way My ds was the same and is left handed. His pencil control was always good though and 1 1/2 terms into rec, it's corrected itself.

I'd go easy on nagging(I did) as you'll put him off pencil activities completely. I found pencil grips useless,they all slip,the animal shaped ones are crap and the triangular ones are too bulky. Ds's teacher had a v good one I couldn't find anywhere with holes in. I got him the Steadler triangle pencils with dots on in the end and left it at that.

I wouldn't worry though he's 4. I always found by the end of rec all of my class would be holding their pencils properly, I didn't find it difficult to correct. Some took a bit more effort but they all got there. I did love teaching handwriting though and did it daily.

Interesting - all my dcs had this 'problem'. I used to look at tiny little kids holding their pencils easily and naturally and then compare them to my ham-fisted boys. Ds 1 and 2 were 'corrected' at school, I think by those triangular grip things. I would say by year 1 they had it cracked.

However, DD (8) has never changed her rather peculiar grip, despite much effort on her teachers' part. In the end they gave up and I didn't insist because she has the most beautiful handwriting and writes and illustrates amazing stories.
But to look at the way she holds her pencil, you wouldn't believe it.

I hold my pen in a funny way too, so perhaps it's genetic?