How do I strengthen my child's hand for writing?

Ms. Dorothy,
My son is having a hard time with writing because it is hard for him to hold a pen or pencil for very long.  He writes faintly because he doesn't press hard enough, and the teacher says his fine motor skills are seriously lagging. Are there things he can do to improve his strength so he can write at grade level?
-Mom of a 2nd grader

Struggling with fine motor development is not uncommon for young boys, but there are some things you can do to help him strengthen his hands.

First take a look at some of the specific activities I suggested in an earlier post about fine motor development.  Some of these may seem a little young to him, but the concept is the same.

You might want to consider getting some occupational therapy tools for him to work with that won't seem as "babyish".  Tools like Eggsercizers, Theraputty, Power-Webs, or DigiFlex hand exercisers might suit him better.  

If his writing is becoming a problem in school, or if he isn't making progress fast enough with these tools, talk to his teacher about having him complete assignments on a keyboard.

How do I know if my child writes normally?

Ms. Dorothy,
When my son writes, he changes the pencil back and forth between hands.  Some days he says it is easier to write left-handed, and other days with the right.  Is this an issue I should be worried about, or do some people just have an easier time this way?
- Mom of a 4th grader

If your son is comfortable, it really doesn't matter which hand he uses, or if he switches every day.

If he is changing hands because he can't get comfortable, you might want to talk to his teacher about letting him us a computer to do his writing.

Fourth grade is late to still be choosing a hand, and if his writing slows him down, it is worth the time and energy to help him learn keyboarding so that he doesn't end up behind in what he wants to accomplish as a writer.

How can I help my child strengthen her hands for writing?

Ms. Dorothy -

My daughter is in pre-school and she can't hold a crayon very well. I'm concerned about her being ready for Kindergarten in the Fall. What can I do at home to get her ready for writing?

- Mom of a 4 year old 

Kindergarten teachers everywhere wish more parents like you were working with their future students! 

One thing I always recommend is using tiny little pieces of chalk or crayon because it forces the use of the muscles in the fingers & helps them develop. Tweezers, tiny beads, even eye droppers will require using the same muscles, but without making it a chore for a little one.

Try giving her the challenge of picking beads out of a bowl of uncooked rice using tweezers, or of squeezing drops of colored water onto a coffee filter with an eye dropper.

My students love picking corn kernels off dried cobs with tweezers. They also like using a push pin to poke holes in construction paper. Trace puzzle shapes on construction paper and, instead of cutting with scissors, try to perforate the paper with enough pin holes to remove the shape.

The side benefit is that these tasks take tremendous concentration and help to develop focus as well as the small muscles needed for writing.

Most of all, don't worry too much about the actual writing. Time is the most important factor for developing the muscles in the hand, and she'll be ready before you know it!