Learned from an OT - break a crayon in half so that your child is forced to use a correct grip (rather than fisting).

You can wrap multiple rubber bands around the base of a crayon (like a pencil grip).

Handwriting Without Tears has shorter than crayola crayons for this purpose. Two colors on one crayon so you can flip them back and forth. I wish I had paid attention to DD's grip at a younger age. Her hand hurts from writing.

Break your crayons into small pieces. (about an inch) This helps build the muscles in his fingers which will make writing easier in the future.

Anonymous wrote:Op here, thank you for all the suggestions! I've been doing a few of these toys, and will find some of the other items. Nuts and bolts is a great idea!

I'll check out the items mentioned, I appreciate all your help.

You may also want to workon general OT type hand strengthing fine motor stuff. Fun things like having him help water plants by squeezing a squirt bottle. Do a lot of "finger play" songs or just signs to encourage finger dexterity. Practice writing with fun materials like pudding on a cookie sheet using his finger.

In 2d grade we used the triangle pencil grip for a while, but I would not worry about it for a preschooler

Agree with the suggestion to not worry about it now. Let them develop their unique grip. There is no "right" way to hold a pencil. Many famous artists developed non-standard grips for pens and brushes.

I've heard these "Crayon Rocks" are great but my three year old hasn't tried them yet:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EODQBA/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1RYCYV8XRTGZ1&coliid=I3P8GW7X7T5UDX

Op here, thank you for all the suggestions! I've been doing a few of these toys, and will find some of the other items. Nuts and bolts is a great idea!

I'll check out the items mentioned, I appreciate all your help.

Yes, I wouldn't worry about correct grip and/or hand dominance at this age, OP.

By age 6, kids usually show a preference and they will learn proper grip in K (or get some OT).

Agree with PP about doing fine motor activities that are of interest to him. Not every kid likes coloring.

You could even by some nuts and bolts from the hardware store and make your own erector set.

I bought these pencil grips: http://www.amazon.com/The-Pencil-Grip-Universal-TPG-11106/dp/B001SN8HOY

And I helped him hold his pencil using it (just checking it was held correctly) for a week or so before he got it.

3.5 is still pretty young to be worried about not holding pencils properly. I might concentrate on practising fine motor skills using those big plastic tweezers to sort objects, threading big beads/pasta/whatever onto ribbon/cord, playing with the large lego, marble runs etc.

Interesting you bring this up because my son has the same issue but he is 7! Although he has been in preschool since he was two it was never taught (unlike my catholic school upbringing...). An OT recommended we use a twisted triangle type thing on the end of his pencil and it seems to be working because his grip is close to normal now.

Try triangular crayons first. My son was like your and couldn't be bothered with coloring, writing, etc for a long time. I bought these b/c they wouldn't roll off the table but they did help him learn to hold a writing implement correctly.


http://www.amazon.com/Crayola-52-4016-16ct-Triangular-Crayons/dp/B001VXNFD4

Op here, once more. (sorry). Of our other two children, one is left handed, the other right handed.

OP here... One more thing, not sure if this is relevant or not. We've not determined his dominant hand yet. It was obvious at this time for our other two kids, but he seems to use both hands equally.

My son (who is 3.5) has never had an interest in coloring, cutting, playdoh, or writing. He knows the alphabet and the sound each letter makes, but ask him to trace a letter and he has as much interest (and talent) as a 1 year old. He also is not very good at wielding a spoon or fork, and I realize I've played into that by either serving finger friendly (to him) foods, or helping him myself. I am trying to turn this all around in various ways, but it's with the drawing/writing I'm having the hardest time. I remember classmates of mine using a little rubber triangle thing attached to their pencil to help them hold correctly. Is this still the go to correction, or can you suggest anything else now a days? thank you!