Sometimes, a child may have an efficient grasp and sufficient hand strength, but their handwriting strokes still do not produce an accurate amount of pressure. Then what? Try a compensatory strategy.
Do
As you work with your child on the compensatory strategies below, ensure that your child is using thumb and index finger support (or thumb, index and middle finger support) to push their tools together.
- Weighted pencils – Add a small weight to your child’s pencil to guide them to write with more force.
- Sandpaper – Add sensory feedback as your child writes so they can better understand what their hand is doing.
- Put a piece of sandpaper under the paper your child is writing / drawing on. This will help them get a better sense of the muscles they are using and improve their writing speed and pressure.
- Erasable gel pens – Use an alternative to a pencil until your child builds enough hand strength to put appropriate pressure on a pencil.
Other Common Handwriting Issues
For some children, learning to write is hard and may not come easily. Weak or hard to read handwriting is one type of challenge. Target your child’s issues or be versed in all of the following common issues: