Coloring a superhero coloring page, making a chalk racetrack on the driveway, or having a white board drawing competition can all be ways for your child to practice their grasp. As your child grows, the grasp they use on their writing utensil will change and can be a sign of their evolving fine motor skills. By the approximate ages listed, your child should be demonstrating these types of grasp on their writing utensil.
- Fisted Grasp: 1- 1.5 Years old
At this age, your child may form a fist around their writing utensil to produce scribbles and color their favorite character coloring pages. All movements will be produced from the shoulder at this time.
2. Digital Pronate Grasp: 1.5 – 3.3 years old
With a digital pronate grasp, your child will begin to turn their wrist and have their thumb and index finger pointing towards their paper and their movements may begin to originate from the elbow at this state!
3. Static Tripod Grasp/ Quadrupod: 3 – 4 years old
When using a static tripod grasp, your child will begin to hold their writing utensil between their thumb and index finger and rest it on their middle finger, or when using you quadrupod grasp, rest it on their ring finger. Movements can originate from the arm or begin at the wrist when using this grasp!
4. Dynamic Tripod Grasp 5 – 6 years old
At this age, your child will continue to hold their writing utensil between their thumb and index finger and rest it on the middle finger and now begin to produce their movements from their fingers!
Questions or concerns?
If you have questions or concerns about your child’s fine motor skills, please contact us at info@playworkschicago.com or 773-332-9439.
Urooba Khaleelullah, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Photo Credit: Heather Greutman via Growing Hands-on Kids