Your child’s pencil grasp: What to expect and when

The pencil grasp (or crayon, or chalk or pen) — it’s a major developmental milestone for kids, and if kids can’t hold a pencil to write comfortably and efficiently, it can affect their future in school and in life. But kids aren’t born knowing how to do a dynamic three-finger tripod grip — the type of grasp that most of us use as adults. According to Occupational Therapy for Children of Australia, as kids develop the fine motor skills necessary to hold a pencil efficiently, they’re also developing the motor skills necessary for other important tasks, such as typing.
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According to Griffin Occupational Therapy, very small children age 12 to 18 months will use what’s called a palmar or gross grasp, holding the implement in their fists for large movements without much control.

Between two and three years of age, look for your child to develop what’s called the digital pronate grasp, with the palm turned around, so the little finger faces up with the pencil resting against the palm. Your child should be able to exercise a little more control while they write or color.

Between three-and-a-half and four years old, your child’s grip will rotate again, so the little finger faces down, and the pencil is held in the tips of the fingers. This grip, called the static tripod grip, is close to the traditional dynamic tripod grip, but instead of using his or her fingers to control the pencil, your child will control the pencil with the wrist and elbow.

As kids get older and become more adept with writing instruments, the dynamic tripod grip will develop, usually by the age of six or seven, according to Occupational Therapy for Children of Australia. But some natural variation in pencil grasps is normal, so if your child is writing efficiently and without pain, everything is probably fine.

If you’re concerned about your child’s pencil grasp or if your child isn’t meeting these developmental milestones, talk to your pediatrician or an occupational therapist.

To help your small child develop his or her pencil grasp, Griffin Occupational Therapy recommends providing crayons and small pencils, which will assist in developing adequate hand control and strength. You can also help your child build necessary fine motor skills with finger painting, using paintbrushes, or drawing in the sand with their fingers.