how can I get DS2 to hold pencil not like a javelin?

[TruculentSnail]

Any recommendations on funny shaped pens or crayons that'll help him? He tries to write but is very uncoordinated at the moment as he has his fingers all curled round the pencil.

froggy legs sitting on the log is how I get my children to remember how to grip a pencil .. so held loosely between thumb and 1st finger and resting on 2nd. Stay chumky - no need for fine pencils!

Fine motor skills need good gross motor skills to - climbing, hanging etc. Playing with playdoh, lego, picking up things with the thumb and 1st finger (sweets, beads, sticks etc), chopsticks.

Love your thread title. Made me larf.

Seriously though - DD's teacher recommended getting her to play at picking small things up with a clothes peg.

Apparently it is all about a pincer type movement with the thumb and pointing finger.

How old is he?

We did do a bit of the clothes peg stuff but I think it was more an issue that sorted itself out over time tbh.

Thanks squidgy have just looked at aqua beads and ordered some maxi hama beads from amazon to help him with his fine motor skills before doing much more pencil grip stuff.

In reception, my DS was given a special pencil grip from his teacher. It's made of rubber and gives indentations where the fingers should go. It worked for my DS. Might be worth asking your DS's teacher if she has something similar.

hope that helps.

My son's OT has been encouraging him to hold a small item tucked in this little and ring fingers whilst he writes, to stop them creeping up, as a training excercise.

OH, and to train him to keep the angle right, she puts a scrunchie around his wrist, twists it and then loops it around the pencil, about half way up.

The stabilo chunky pencils are good - nice size and soft leads.

Stabilo EASYergo (google it) helped my son. I agree that teaching "froggy legs" etc... is vital, as is sticking to chunky pencils, but I found these pencils really helpful for getting him used to having his fingers in that position. You can get right or left handed versions and they are certainly pretty widely available around here - Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, WH Smith, Local Stationers etc...

I'm a graduate, a professional, a published poet and a semi-professional crossword setter. Not boasting, but you know, I can write pretty well.

I hold my pen like an arthritic monkey peeling a banana. I just refused when I was a kid to hold it any other way and am pretty certin it hasn't done me any harm.

Heh - certain. If only I'd learnt to hold a pen...

I'm a fan of the Stabilo EASYergo a well. They do pens and pencils.

I have just bought the Stabilo Easyergo for a child in my class ...he holds it like a dagger as soon as my back is turned!

I've always bought Faber-Castell Grip 2001 pencils (both lead and coloured and felt pens) for my DD to help her hold her pencils properly.

My DS1 has a Stabilo Easyergo and he finds it helpful.

point the pencil lead towards you pick it up with thumb and 2 fingers and say swish and flick. This is should get the pencil hold correct