Now pick up your pencil. The way you hold it helps you make smooth, neat letters.
- Hold the pencil between your thumb and your pointer finger.
- Let it rest on your middle finger.
- Hold it a little way up from the point, so you can see what you write.
- Hold it lightly: no squeezing.
Key idea
Thumb and pointer finger hold the pencil; the middle finger is its pillow. Hold it a little way up from the point, and lightly.
Why it works
With the pencil in your fingertips, your fingers can steer it in small curves and lines. A light hold lets the pencil glide instead of digging into the paper.
Worked example: Which hold?
Mia holds her pencil with her whole hand wrapped around it.
- Her fingers can’t move the pencil, so curves are hard.
- She can hold it with her thumb and pointer finger, resting it on her middle finger.
Answer: Thumb and pointer finger, resting on the middle finger.
Common mistake
Squeezing the pencil hard, or pinching it right at the sharp point. Try this: hold the pencil, then wiggle the eraser end a little. If you can, your hold is light enough.
For the grown-up. The three-finger hold shown here is the one most teachers show. Some children settle on a four-finger hold and write just as well; if the writing is neat and the hand stays relaxed, there is no need to change it. Left-handed writers use the same hold with the other hand.