Holding a pencil
A short captioned lesson on a comfortable grip for writing and drawing, for children and grown-ups. Free, with a full transcript and teaching notes.
Read the whole lesson
Holding a pencil Hello! I am Bramble the hedgehog, and today we will learn a good way to hold a pencil. It helps us write and draw neatly.
Pinch First, make a pinch with your thumb and your pointing finger. Pinch, like you are picking up a tiny crumb. Pinch, pinch, pinch!
Thumb and finger hold Now put the pencil between your pinching fingers, near the pointed end. Your thumb and pointing finger hold it, and the pencil rests on your middle finger.
Relax Rest your other fingers gently curled underneath. Your hand should feel relaxed, not squashed. Wiggle your fingers to check that they are not tight.
Loops and waves Now try drawing. Make big loops and waves. Slowly, then quickly. If your hand feels tired, shake it out and have a rest.
Hold the paper Hold the paper still with your other hand. That helps you stay in control. Sit up tall, with both feet on the floor.
For grown-ups Grown-ups, a tip: strong little hands make for easy writing. Play dough, tweezers and threading beads all help, before and after pencil practice.
Pinch, rest, relax Well done! Pinch, rest, and relax. Practise a little each day. Bye from Bramble!
For grown-ups Teaching notes
- The aim is a comfortable, controlled grip, usually the tripod grip: thumb and index finger pinch, middle finger supports.
- Strong hands and shoulders come first. Play dough, threading and climbing all help before pencils.
- Left-handed children may need the paper tilted to the right and a grip that avoids smudging.
- If a child finds pencils very hard or tires quickly, mention it to the class teacher. Do not force a grip.
Tip: pause the video after each picture, ask the child to say the answer, then press play.