The Ultimate Pencil Grip Guide for OT Month!

April is Occupational Therapy Month, and what better way to celebrate than by exploring the wonderful world of pencil grips! Occupational therapists play a crucial role in helping individuals improve their fine motor skills, and choosing the right pencil grip can make all the difference in writing. Let's dive into the different types of pencil grips that OTs can use to help!

Writing is one of the biggest obstacles of academic development and education. The way we hold a writing utensil can affect our writing as well as lead to hand cramps, sore fingers, and exhausted muscles. Improper grip can interrupt a child's cognitive flow.

The most effective position while holding a pencil is known as the Tripod Grip. This ergonomic way to hold a pencil may take some time to get used to, but will make learning easier, faster, and more comfortable. In the positioning of the Tripod Grip, fingers should be relaxed. The image below shows the correct finger positioning of the Tripod Grip.

Try practicing the Tripod Grip with a variety of different writing utensils such as crayons, markers, chalk, pens, and paint brushes. The Tripod helps individuals focus on writing content rather than their pencil.

Now, you may wonder WHY the Tripod Grip is so important for Occupational Therapists.

Fine Motor Mastery: The tripod grip, utilizing the thumb, index, and middle fingers, fosters fine motor skill development crucial for tasks like writing and drawing.

Precision and Control: This grip facilitates better control over writing instruments, resulting in neater and more legible handwriting.

Fatigue Reduction: By distributing effort across multiple fingers, the tripod grip minimizes strain and fatigue during writing tasks.

School Readiness: Mastering this grip prepares children for academic success by laying the foundation for efficient writing skills.

Enhanced Handwriting: Research indicates that those adept with the tripod grip often exhibit superior handwriting skills.

Versatile Application: Beyond writing, the tripod grip aids in various daily activities requiring dexterity and precision.

At TPG Creations, we offer a variety of different Pencil Grips to help aid in the writing, grip, and motor skills practice. These grips include The Original Pencil Grip, The Cross Over Grip, The Pinch Grip, The Writing Claw, The Jumbo, The Bumpy Grip, The Pointer Grip, The Ring Grip, and The Duo Grip. Continue reading to learn more about our grips and how they can help!

The Original Grip

The Original Pencil Grip benefits both adults, children, righties, and lefties. This is the #1 Grip recommended by therapists to help kids write. They easily fit on pencils, pens, crayons, and other drawing tools. Designed by doctors, tested by kids, approved by parents!

The Crossover Grip

The Crossover Grip has "wings" that hold fingers in place and stop them from crossing over while writing. All you need to do is place fingers in the proper position for gripping! Along with all of our grips, The Crossover Grip is designed by a doctor and widely used in classrooms, at home, or therapeutic settings! The Crossover Grip is the perfect stepping stone for children's writing development.

The Pinch Grip

The Pinch Grip helps improve comfort and control. It is the transitional grip, as it bridges the gap between more structured grips and grips that provide more freedom. The Pinch Grip acts as the second step in achieving the perfect writing. Its unique, patented design gently encourages the fingers and hand to rest in the proper position for gripping - The Tripod Grip. Unlike other pencil grips, The Pinch Grip feels natural because of its ergonomic design and soft, flexible, latex-free material.

The Writing CLAW

The Writing Claw comes in three different sizes; small, medium, and large! It exercises control over the hand while writing. There are markings on the finger cups to instruct proper finger placement. The Writing Claw has been recommended by Occupational Therapists, Teachers, and Principals!

The Jumbo Grip

The Jumbo Grip is 40% larger than the original! This is the only grip that supports up to the second knuckle while writing. The Jumbo Grip helps improve comfort, control, and handwriting quality. The bigger the grip, the more support! The unique shape gently encourages the fingers and hand to rest in the proper gripping position!