Happy New Year

Kids are back in action after a long winter break, so that means we are back to practicing our handwriting! Pencil pressure is a common concern with children who struggle with handwriting. I have created a list of some ways that you can help your child either increase or decrease their pencil pressure when they are working on their handwriting at home! 

If your child’s handwriting is too light it may cause difficulty with letter size and placement. 

• Practice shading coloring pictures with deep pressure, just right, and light pressure 
• Use a golf tee and write letters or words in clay
• Put writing paper over rough sandpaper for the tactile response 
• Using graph paper to make designs (squares, X,/,\)

If your child’s pencil pressure is too hard it may cause fatigue which could lead to careless handwriting:

• Writing on carbon paper- child has to write lightly so the pencil hardly goes through
• Warm up with squeezing a stress ball or wheelbarrow walks to give input to the child’s hands before starting
• Wrap clay around the pencil and if the kid makes a dent in the clay they are applying too much pressure
• Use mechanical pencil- try not to break the tip
• Provide an example of Pencil Pressure, too light, just right, too hard

Alexis Howell, OTA/S

Tiffany Powers-Reid, OTR/L