Visual-motor and Pencil Grip (praxis) helps

·     It is always important to monitor a child’s grip of any writing instrument, to see what needs work. Here are some ideas for helping with that pencil grasp:

·   Have child draw shapes, letters, numbers and other designs on a chalkboard

·   Dot to dot and tracing activities; start with straight lines and simple shapes

·   Draw two parallel lines an inch apart and have child draw a line in between, gradually narrowing the space as child gains more control

·   Tracing activities before moving to copying

·   Simple mazes

·   Chalk holders, triangle pencils

·   Pencil grippers or rubber band around pencil about 1” from tip of pencil

·   Insist on consistency in top to bottom and general left to right formation not on perfectly formed letters

·   Model correct pencil grip

·   Wire writing frame from zaner bloser