I have found in my many years of practice that, believe it or not, the pencil, pen, marker or crayon you choose can totally change your student's writing legibility.
Some pencil leads are thin and light, and others are dark and thick. They even smear and left handed children can get graphite on their knuckles and heel of their hands. Their vision and lighting in the room also play a part in if they can read their output.
Now let's look at pens. Have you ever noticed how some pens slide smoothly across paper and others seem to grip or drag across the paper? It's not just about personal preference; it can seriously boost your child's creativity, focus, and overall sensory perception of the activity by determining the sensory feedback that is in the writing process.
Do you enjoy scribbling with chalk or with a colored pencil? Is it satisfying, or does the texture bother you like nails on a chalkboard? Do you like the mess or not?
And markers? Perfect for making a statement or adding some pizazz, but they also are thin or thick. Think about the child's vision... do they see better with a dark thick mark? And consider if they get frustrated because the mark is too thick and they can't fix it, or too light and the overtrace it - over and over again.
Lastly, consider the weight of the writing utensil and grip—they play a role in how comfy your child's writing process will be.
Basically, the right writing tool for your child is like finding them the best writing partner. It just clicks, ya know?
So, next time you're grabbing a pencil, pen, crayon, chalk or marker for your child, take a sec to think about what sensory feedback they are getting and how that plays into their goals and frustrations.
Find that perfect match and let the good vibes flow onto the page!
