Holding a pencil... does it really matter how?

2/2/2014

The very first blog...welcome! I'm starting with pencil grasp as handwriting is a very common reason OTs are asked to see school age children.

The way a child holds the pencil is one of the first components of handwriting that we look at. There is a predictable progression that most children follow from using their whole fist, to holding a pencil with a tripod grasp (that is, using their thumb, index and third fingers). Therefore, it is important to give your child an opportunity to try different grasps as their muscles develop and encourage age-appropriate grasps.

For effecient pencil control, OTs have for a long time looked for a dynamic pencil grasp (see photo below). The reason the dynamic pencil grasp is desirable is because the hand is positioned with an open web space (the nice circle made by the thumb and index finger) and it allows these fingers to move the pencil as required when writing. It is the preferred grasp for writing speed, control and letter formation.

Some grasps are seen as functional as they have the elements desired; an open web space; pencil held by first three fingers; stability of the 4th and 5th fingers. Some grasps are inefficient as a child is compensating for a lack of stability or applying too much pressure. This usually results in fatigue, pain, compromised writing speed, lack of mobility of the first three fingers and/or stress on the joints of the hand.

Can you see your child's pencil grasp below or have they got their own unique style?

Early grasps

Radial Cross Palmer
0-2 years
Pencil positioned across palm held with a fisted hand.

Palmer Supinate
1-2 years
Pencil held like a dagger.

Digital Pronate Grasp
2-3 years
All fingers hold the pencil and the palm faces down towards the page.

Four Finger Grasp
3-4 years
Four fingers are held on the pencil beginning to form the arc between the thumb and index finger (web space).

Inefficient Grasps

Inter-digital Brace
The pencil is held between the fingers of the hand.

Thumb Tuck grasp
The thumb is tucked under the first three fingers or wrapped around them.

Key or Lateral Pinch Grasp
This grasp has the thumb positioned across the index finger closing the web space between these fingers.

Hyperextended index finger
Tripod grasp where the index finger is extended too far at the DIP (distal interphalangeal joint) due to excessive pressure.

Functional Grasps

Static Tripod Grasp
4-6 years
A 3 finger grasp where the thumb, index and third finger work together as one unit.

Lateral Tripod Grasp
The index finger lies on top of the pencil with the thumb across the index finger.

Right handed dynamic tripod grasp

Left handed dynamic tripod grasp

Dynamic Tripod Grasp
5-7 years
This tripod grasp is held by the first three fingers which move independently to the 4th and 5th fingers. The web space is open and becomes circular.

Your Kids OT

It is not uncommon for a child to use lots of different grasps.

A few more things to consider:-

Where does the pencil rests on the hand whilst your child holds their pencil. Does it rest on the web space between the thumb and index finger? Does the pencil move during writing into different positions along the web space? It shouldn't.
Where along the shaft of the pencil does your child place their fingers? The pencil should be held about 2cm from the nib.
Does your child hook their wrist when holding the pencil? This is more common in left-handed children but can be seen in right-handed children as well. Your child should have a slightly extended wrist whilst writing.

Teaching a dynamic grasp... I ask children to pinch the pencil, make a Harbour Bridge (coming from Sydney this is very appropriate) and to rest their wrist. I will discuss other ways to encourage a dynamic tripod grasp in future blogs.

Is your child using a functional pencil grasp? How do you prompt your child to hold their pencil?

*** EDITED*** Purchase a copy of the
PENCIL GRASP REFERENCE SHEET HERE!
Also available at our TPTstore.

46 Comments

Vel

10/2/2014 01:39:09 am

Thanks a lot for this great article Cindy. I've been wondering for ages if my boys hold their pencils correctly. All the various grip photos are really helpful.

Cindy

10/2/2014 05:19:18 am

I'm so glad that you found the photos of the pencil grasps useful!

Steph

14/2/2014 04:59:49 am

Hi Cindy,

I found the pictures very helpful. As a teacher I am curious to know what you, other OTs, think about pencil grips to help students with their handwriting. Is there a specific type you would recommend?

Your Kids OT link

14/2/2014 08:24:54 am

Thanks Steph, I'm glad you found the pictures helpful. I will have a post about pencil grips in the near future but until then...I am usually reluctant to recommend pencil grips as they do tend to get lost or used incorrectly even when they are on the pencil! My favourites are "The Pencil Grip", "crossover grip" and the "claw". Cindy

Val

7/9/2014 09:33:53 am

What a great website!

Cindy @ Your Kids OT link

7/9/2014 10:11:49 am

Thank you Val. Please let your friends and colleagues know too!

Alexia Francesconi

17/10/2014 12:47:59 am

Wow Cindy! You've really brought me out the dark here - apparently I've been using an inefficient grasp all my life. No one has ever commented on me having bad handwriting or the wrong hand grasp.

Thanks for the info!
Alexia F ;)

Cindy @ Your Kids OT link

17/10/2014 01:12:43 am

Hopefully you have never got hand cramps :) Lots of people adapt and write with a non-functional grasp. These grasps are a good starting point when teaching kids! Thanks for your comment.

Amit vyas

8/11/2014 05:59:24 pm

Thanks for a wonderful article helping all parents to get an inside on the most common worry & how to resolve the issue

Cindy @ Your Kids OT link

9/11/2014 11:28:47 am

Thanks for your lovely comment and i'm pleased you found the article useful.

Charity link

28/1/2015 11:54:54 pm

My daughter has been back and forth between schools for two years and teachers mostly just asked her to write without caring to teach her how or check her grip. She's finally home with me for good and I'm trying (for a third time) to undo the damage. Thanks for all the helpful posts. When she starts writing she slips her pencil into a straight up and down "claw" squeezing with her knuckles and it hurts. She now hates to write because of it. :-( I'm ordering the chopsticks. We are using a triangle pencil. I have had pencil grips recommended to me. Anything else?

Cindy @ Your Kids OT link

29/1/2015 12:16:13 am

If you can get a "CLAW" pencil grip, I think that may be a good grip for your daughter. It is quite difficult to unlearn pencil grasps. Perhaps try a stylus with this grip for motivation on an ipad if you use them. You may also like to do more on vertical surfaces (eg. writing on a whiteboard, attach paper to a vertical surface) as this can help with wrist extension. All the best.

Charity link

29/1/2015 08:14:19 am

Thanks! I will definitely try with the stylus. And I will have to pay attention to how she does when we work at the easel in the mornings. She tries a lot of different grasps depending on what she is working on. She told her dad this afternoon she doesn't like to hold it the "right way" because then her coloring is "sloppy" so she does it the other way even though it hurts because she wants the "detail". I'm hoping that means she's not too set in the hurtful grasps so we can work on making things easier for her.

Gina

7/4/2015 05:04:18 pm

I am wondering about a hooked wrist in my right handed son. He is 9 and hooks his wrist. My husband has said we should correct this; however, it leads to tears because straight writing seems to be as awkward as left handed writing.

Cindy @ Your Kids OT link

8/4/2015 09:59:02 am

It is difficult to change patterns after doing something the same way for so long. In the long term, it would help your son if he doesn't hook. Check the position of the paper on the table as often the hook is so they can see the writing under their hand. Make sure the paper is on a 45 degrees. Try strengthening/supporting the wrist in using vertical surfaces (eg, whiteboard, easel, slant board). You could even use an ipad on a recipe book stand and get your son using a stylus. All the best.

Denise link

21/4/2015 02:49:57 am

The correct way to hold a pencil can be easily taught from one pencil. Quirkpencil.com

Cindy @ Your Kids OT link

30/7/2015 07:47:17 am

I would be happy to trial this pencil if you contact me.

Denise link

30/7/2015 05:31:30 pm

https://vimeo.com/130520778

Lee

4/2/2016 07:49:12 am

My son is 3 and a half and still uses the fist hold. Should I be worried? He refuses to hold his pencil differently. His preschool use a triangle type grip but it doesn't seem to help...

Cindy@Your Kids OT link

4/2/2016 11:15:01 am

Hi Lee, I wouldn't be worried but I would encourage your son to do more activities that require a pincer grasp. Refer here http://www.yourkidsot.com/blog/when-pinching-is-ok and http://www.yourkidsot.com/blog/did-you-know-that-your-hand-has-two-sides for some ideas. You can encourage a pincer grasp in multiple activities through the day and as his fingers and hand muscles develop, he will gain control to do hold his pencil in this way.

Anjali sharma link

4/9/2016 01:16:24 am

Hi my son is 4 n half years. He is left handed and is using thumb wrap grasp. His handwriting is very good. His drawing colouring painting all are excellent. Should I still worry about d grasp?will this grasp create problem on future?plz reply.

Cindy @Your Kids OT link

4/9/2016 08:49:54 am

At 4 years old, I would continue to encourage a "pincer grasp" of objects as well as a pencil. I would watch for the control of the pencil with the first three fingers and the separation of the two sides of the hand. Here are two relevant articles for you.
http://www.yourkidsot.com/blog/did-you-know-that-your-hand-has-two-sides
http://www.yourkidsot.com/blog/when-pinching-is-ok

Christel

1/11/2016 01:50:16 am

Hi, I was researching pencil grips and came across your website. My daughter (5.5) and I both use a grip that I'm not sure whether it needs to be corrected or not and it's not shown in the photos. The pencil is grasped by the thumb, index and middle finger, but instead of the pencil resting on the middle finger, all of those three fingers are sort of on the top half of the pencil and the pencil itself is resting on the first knuckle of the ring finger. Is this an alternative functional grasp or an inefficient grasp that needs correction? THANKS

Cindy@YKOT link

13/2/2017 07:36:41 am

Sorry for the delayed response, I didn't see your comment! As long as the movement of the pencil is controlled by the first three fingers (thumb, index and third) and there is some fluency of movement, I wouldn't worry about correcting this grasp. If she has poor letter formation or it is causing her discomfort, pain or slowing down her writing then I would look at teaching how to rest the pencil into the web space.

Raziya

12/2/2017 04:37:47 pm

My son is 11 and still holds his pencil like the radial cross palmer. Is that bad. I've come to the conclusion everyone is different and there are many possibilities and this being a possible way to hold your pencil. It doesn't hurt him. He has decent handwriting. He writes in cursive and he is even an artist. Myself and teachers have tried to correct him but he continues writing like that. He'll write correctly for a minute then go right back to the old grip. When he was younger it caused so much stress and tension I decided to give him a break on me nagging.

My question is: have you heard of cases where a person has this grip into adulthood. How he or she lives. Is there any problems, etc. ?

Cindy@YKOT link

13/2/2017 07:41:05 am

If he is not in pain, not slowed down, not producing illegible work, then I wouldn't worry too much. The radial cross palmer can potentially lead to carpal tunnel like symptoms because of the hooked wrist so that is something to be aware of. It is very hard to change a habit that has been long established and requires self motivation. I would be encouraging work on a vertical surface such as a sloped desk or board. There may be underlying factors that are affecting why he is holding the pencil this way which I can't answer fully here.

4/4/2017 11:31:09 am

Wish I was taught to write with a dynamic tripod grasp. I would teach little kids as early as possible to write using a dynamic tripod grasp; looks so elegant.

Cindy@Your Kids OT link

18/4/2017 04:52:14 am

A dynamic tripod grasp does help with fluency!

Stari_Most

4/10/2017 11:01:22 am

That's how everyone in my country does it.

Michelle

6/4/2017 05:46:07 am

For a year or more I have been trying to get my 7 year old to use the dynamic grip. However he consistantly uses the lateral tripod grip unless I am constantly telling him to slide down his thumb. He says the dynamic feels wierd and his writting is more awkward looking. But I kept saying he would get used to it. I really thought it was an incorrect form especially since my hand writting is horrid especially over time and I use the same lateral tripod grip. But I see here you list it as functional. Am I causing unnecesary angst and stress trying to force the dynamic grip or is it worth the work now? Thank you for your advice and input!

Cindy@YKOT link

18/4/2017 04:54:24 am

A lateral tripod grasp can be functional. Check if he is using the first three fingers to control the pencil and you could encourage this by having your son hold a pom pom with his 4/5th fingers whilst he writes. Be aware of too much pressure holding the pencil... otherwise, let him use the lateral tripod grasp if his writing is legible.

Christina

13/2/2019 02:12:40 am

Hi! Any tips to help my son remember to rest his wrist when writing? He’s 4.5 yrs old and he’s struggling with grasp and wrist position but I think the wrist issue is more pressing. He will compensate by using his nondominant left hand to guide the pencil tip on his right hand because he doesn’t have enough control when he grasps the pencil.

Cindy@YKOT link

13/2/2019 07:56:24 am

Hi Christina, Try lots of activities on a vertical surface. (eg. drawing in shaving cream on a shower screen) You could also try a stick on his wrist and asking him to hide it when drawing/writing. Work on finger strength and separation of the two sides of the hands so that ultimately the pencil is controlled by fingers and not at the wrist/elbow. All the best.

RK OT

16/3/2019 03:56:28 am

Vertical surfaces are great, but another trick I've found helpful is to simply change the plane - in other words, have the child lay prone (on his/her stomach) and complete the activity on the ground (homework, handwriting practice, you name it). I've found it to be very effective. This is also a great position for working on trunk/core muscles for neck and upper-body strength (can be used while playing a game, even watching TV) - just don't let the child rest his/her head on his/her hands!

Claire

26/6/2019 07:21:51 pm

Hi. I am an adult and have always written using the lateral pinch grasp ( didn't know until i read your article). What long term effects could writing like this lead to? Many thanks for any replies, Claire

Cindy@yourkidsot.com link

28/6/2019 05:35:49 pm

Hi Claire,
Adults end up using a variety of grasps that are functional. The "ideal" is not necessarily for everyone. Potential issues with the lateral pinch is a sore hand leading to fatigue or decreased fluency. You may find it easier to print that to do cursive writing. If it is not affecting you functionally then don't worry about it! Good luck

Gina

27/8/2019 07:19:34 pm

Hi! Thanks for this. I teach Language Arts in 3rd Grade. I have been reading a lot on handwriting and came across your article. I'm a staunch supporter of good handwriting and I was quite surprised with how some of my students for this schoolyear are holding their writing instruments!!!! I have a couple still doing the four-finger grasp...and a few with inter-digital brace and thumb tuck grasp. So, I purchased pencil grips to help them. However, one parent complained saying that her daughter is already used to how she holds it and questioning why it should be corrected, as she might have a hard time writing and might even slow her down. It also might be a hindrance with her thinking skills. I have never had a problem with past parents with regards to this......so, really, I don't know what to say to her. Any thoughts? Would really appreciate it.....

Cindy@YKOT link

28/8/2019 07:52:36 am

Hi Gina,
Thanks for your comment and question. Form vs function is the big question. To some extent once a child gets to the 3rd grade a habit is formed and it is hard to change the "form" unless there is some motivation. If the ""function is there then there is a school of thought that you leave the grip as it is. For us there are questions of pain, speed, efficiency, fatigue, endurance to consider. If the legibility and speed is there without pain, etc then I would be inclined to leave it but let the family know that her grip may affect these areas. Please have a look at some of the other articles on my site regarding handwriting grasp - https://www.yourkidsot.com/handwriting-and-writing.html. I'm also in the process of writing a new book all about grips and grasp! Stay tuned.

Mariah

7/9/2019 05:40:59 pm

Hey! One of my sons is turning 5 and still uses the Radial Palmer grip. While he does this, he holds his elbow extended away from his core at an almost 90 degree angle. I’ve been working fine motor skills with him for what feels like forever, and nothing is improving. He cannot control the utensil like this at all, and he’s getting very frustrated. Do you have any suggestions on correcting this behavior?

Cindy@Your Kids OT link

9/9/2019 08:03:26 am

Hi Mariah, You may need to seek a local OT to provide specific advice for your son. Building fine motor skills is a great place to start - including hand strength, pincer grasp, separation of the two sides of the hand. You may need to also work on proximal stability of his core muscles including shoulder stability. Lots of crawling, prone (lying on tummy), vertical activities, etc.

Mariah

7/9/2019 05:42:51 pm

I meant to say Radial Cross Palmer. *

Emma

21/10/2019 04:34:41 am

I teach 5th grade, and have a student who uses the Inter-digital Brace grip. His handwriting is very messy and he can’t seem to write small enough to fit on regular lined paper. His writing is also very slow, which causes him to work slowly and miss out on learning opportunities.
Do you have any suggestions on how I can help him learn to write properly without it becoming a constant burden on him in class? I don’t want to make school even harder because he has to use all of his brainpower on holding his pencil, and I know that these habits are very strong by 5th grade.
Thank you!

RK OT

4/3/2020 01:08:45 am

Does your school have an OT who can do a screening (or evaluation)? It sounds like accommodations might be worth looking into (such as typing, speech to text, etc.)

Nicole

3/3/2020 10:37:59 am

Hi Cindy. I'm wondering if it's too late to help my kids fix their grips. My 14 year old uses the Hyperextended Index Finger Grip, and my 12 year old hasn't got past the Palmer Supinate despite our urging for many years to change her grip, she draws beautifully and her handwriting is reasonable. I'm in my mid 40's and have discovered that I have an Inefficient Grasp also, a cross between a few of them with an additional strange index finger thing, It was only my year 5 teacher who tried to correct this, and after many unsuccessful attempts with one of those plastic triangle grips, he gave up. I used to get an aching hand, and still have a lump on one of my fingers from where the pen sits. My kids complain of aching hands after writing a small amount. Can any of us be 'fixed'?

RK OT

4/3/2020 01:00:20 am

Hi Nicole, I'm not Cindy :) [and Cindy, I hope you don't mind my input], but I am an OT who primarily works with the pediatric population.

You are correct that attempting to change a grasp pattern in children of the ages you list would be difficult, but if they're motivated, it might be possible. Certainly, you can try out different grips (beyond the triangle one you describe) to see if they're helpful. For the 14yo, you can try widening the shaft of the pencil by wrapping a material (such as Kinesio Tape) around the base where the index finger would usually go. You can also try suggesting using a modified tripod grasp, which would have the pen/pencil NOT resting in the open web space, but between the index and middle finger, and still using the tips of the thumb, index, and middle (tripod) to manipulate the pencil.

It sounds like your 12yo would be resistant to changing things up, but if your kids do complain about hand pain, maybe there's what to be tried :) Using a fisted grasp like you described likely indicates poor separation of the sides of her hand. You can look into activities that she can do to promote that separation (if she's willing), essentially activities that involve using only the first 3 fingers (starting from the thumb), and perhaps holding something in her last 2 fingers while doing those activities. I love the HandiWriter, which promotes the separation by having the user stabilize the toy in the last 2 fingers, and is easily applied to a variety of tools. It can also be used in conjunction with any other grips on the pencil. The claw grip, while better as a teaching tool (in my opinion), rather than a long term solution, can also help with learning a more functional grasp pattern.

Finally, if they're still experiencing significant pain when writing, maybe you can talk to their school/teachers about using typing as an accommodation for longer assignments, so their academic success isn't limited by their physical limitations.

Hope that helps.

Cindy@yourkidsot.com link

8/3/2020 09:56:46 am

Thanks for your considered answer RK OT. This is the response that I would have also made.

Nicole, you may also consider the pen you use. A gel pen enables writing with less pressure applied which can help reduce discomfort. The modified tripod/adapted tripod is definitely worth a trial - you can also google the Taylor Swift Grasp as she uses this adapted grasp.

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Hi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here.