https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:41:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2130790 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 13:36:38 +0000 rrachael 2130790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ree723: I was just going to say, don't force it! Some kids will naturally figure it out early, others will figure it out later. Either way, it's not a necessary skill at age 2 or 3 so I wouldn't stress :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2130656 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 12:26:17 +0000 winniebee 2130656@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>He will be 3 next month and doesn't do it correctly. I've shown him and he goes back to a modified fist grip. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2130647 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 12:24:05 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2130647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ree723: I do too. But I don't see an issue with holding it that way! Some people say that it affects penmanship, but I write completely legibly (unless I am writing furiously fast). </p> <p>I think that advice rings true with most developmental things - just don't force it :) It'll come. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129997 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 05:22:19 +0000 ValentineMommy 2129997@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is a little over 2 and still uses the fist grip. I've tried to show him how to hold it correctly, and he just changes it into his fist, so I'm assuming he's not ready. He also switches hands a lot still. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129995 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 05:20:49 +0000 Ree723 2129995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Seems like answers run the full gamut here! I actually did some research last night and according to several OT sites I read, they said the worst thing you can do is force it - the grip naturally evolves as they build up their shoulder, forearm, and wrist muscles, so trying to force it too soon, could cause them to have a bad grip that is incredibly difficult to change later on.</p> <p>I hold my pen incorrectly (I'm a 'thumb wrapper') and it's super annoying, so I'd like to avoid that with my LOs. DD1 has always done things in her own sweet time so I guess I shouldn't be surprised we're not there yet! :-)</p> <p>Thanks for all the input! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129982 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 04:10:45 +0000 lamariniere 2129982@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son didn't until after 3. I never worked on it with him, but I they must have at school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129735 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 17:31:45 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2129735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've tried showing him before and he doesn't do it correctly, even when shown how. He does the fist grip too. He is 3. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129642 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 15:46:36 +0000 pregnantbee 2129642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son has been doing that for awhile -- I voted 2-2.5, but it could have been earlier. He does hold the pencil/crayon a little high, but it is a correct "pencil" grip.. I think daycare must have taught him since I never sat with him to show him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129547 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 13:55:21 +0000 MapleMoose 2129547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She's 17 months and often holds the crayon the correct way. Not every time, but a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129402 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 12:25:36 +0000 yoursilverlining 2129402@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO is the same age as yours (almost exactly!) and they are working on this right now in preschool. They started working on it before she left the toddler room, and has it mostly mastered now. But, they work on it almost every day, so there's that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129349 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 11:44:55 +0000 travellingbee 2129349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>?? Wow I'm totally surprised by the number of kids that y'all are saying hold a pencil correctly before 2! That seems unbelievably early! Mine still fists it at 2 and so do all the kids in his class that I've seen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129341 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 11:39:27 +0000 Ree723 2129341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh great, I was hoping all these other kids were just amazing prodigies, ha! :silly: Guess we'll be working on the fine motor skills a bit more now! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129329 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 11:29:42 +0000 Anagram 2129329@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She holds it correctly most of the time now at 20 months---I don't know where she picked it up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129324 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 11:27:41 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2129324@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I noticed it around 20 months and told DH. Turns out he taught her how the weekend before. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129301 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 11:13:08 +0000 kodybear 2129301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Around 2 as well. they do a lot of art at preschool so I think she learned it there </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129290 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 11:07:48 +0000 yellowbird 2129290@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've never really worked on it with her but she started using the correct grip around 2 years old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-your-lo-start-holding-a-pencilcrayon-correctly#post-2129274 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 10:57:59 +0000 Ree723 2129274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD1 is 2.5, turning 3 in June, and still holds all writing utensils in the fist grip. I thought that was still pretty normal for her age, but at playgroup today, I noticed a lot of the kids around her age were holding their crayons with the correct (or pretty close to correct) pencil grip. It's not something we've ever really worked on, although I am starting to encourage the correct grip now, but just wondering when other people's LOs started using the correct grip!</p> <p>ETA: fixed the poll to allow for multiple votes! </p>