What type of paper is best for cutting?
For preschoolers who are just learning to cut, thick paper works best. Suggestions include construction paper, card stock, magazine inserts (cards), brown paper bags, and index cards. Once your preschooler is able to cut stiff paper easily, he may then progress to standard paper. Use thin paper, such as foil, wax paper, magazines, or newspaper when your child is adept at using scissors and standard paper. Make sure the scissors are sharp and that they open and close smoothly so that your child will be successful with cutting.
When should my child use an adult-like grasp of the pencil?
The majority of children between the ages of 4 ½ and 6 years will use a mature grasp of writing utensils. This adult-like grasp typically means that your child holds the pencil with her fingertips and has good control of the pencil. Your child’s grasp will be influenced by a variety of things such as experience, eye-hand coordination, and muscle tone.
What is the best type of pencil grasp for my preschooler to use?
Typically, three-year-old children will use a digital pronate grasp (held with fingers; wrist straight; forearm moves with hand) OR a static tripod posture (held with thumb, index, and middle fingers in crude manner; ring and pinky fingers are slightly bent; held high up on pencil). Either of these grasps will work effectively for a three-year-old child who is gaining experience holding writing utensils.
Digital pronate grasp
Static tripod grasp
There are several grasps that are considered efficient (most effective) for four- and five-year-olds. These grasps include two main components:
1. Fingertips on the end of the pencil.
2. An open space between the thumb and fingers (thumb and fingers form a circular position, so that you can see the palm of the hand).
Many children prefer to use a dynamic tripod grasp, holding the writing utensil between the thumb, index, and middle fingers. A quadripod grasp that incorporates the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers is another effective and commonly used grasp.
When should my child be able to tie his shoes?
Most children learn to tie their shoes sometime during kindergarten. At this time, a child will usually have the bilateral hand skills, grasp, and eye-hand coordination necessary to complete this complex self-help skill. A child who wears primarily slip-on or Velcro-closure shoes will lack the experience with tying shoes and may develop this skill later.
Dynamic tripod grasp
Quadripod grasp
When should my child be able to write her name?
Many five-year-olds are able to write their first names independently. Most children learn to write their names in uppercase letters before lowercase letters. Some five-year-olds will also be able to write a few letters that are not in their first names, but which the children find interesting (for example, “M,” “O,” “M”).
What if my preschooler writes his name backwards?
It is typical for preschoolers to write letters backwards or to orient their names backwards across the page. This is an appropriate step for young children during the learning process. Many children demonstrate letter reversals up until the end of first grade. Four- and five-year-olds need opportunities to observe, imitate, and copy letters and words in a literacy-rich environment that includes books, signs, labels, and other reading materials.
If my preschooler holds her pencil awkwardly, should I try to change her grasp?
It is important first to consider your child’s age and developmental level. It would not be uncommon for a young, inexperienced preschooler to use what may look like an awkward grasp of a pencil. Young preschoolers may also grasp a pencil in a different way each time they hold one. Grasp is based on habit. So, whatever grasp the child consistently uses in later preschool and kindergarten will probably be the grasp she uses into adulthood. Make sure your child is using the appropriate size pencil. If your four- or five-year-old child consistently holds utensils with an awkward and inappropriate grasp, demonstrate the proper way to grasp a writing tool and gently reposition the pencil in the child’s hand. You could try introducing your child to a pencil grip (such as a triangle-shaped grip) to help her learn to hold the pencil more appropriately.
What if my preschooler holds his scissors upside down?
It is typical for two- and three-year-olds to hold scissors upside down. Preschoolers often use this pattern if they have not had enough experience with pre-scissor activities. Provide your child with pre-scissor activities, such as picking up objects with tongs, squeezing water through turkey basters, or using a hole-punch on paper. Be sure to model the proper way to hold scissors and you may give “thumb on top” verbal reminders. With enough practice, your preschooler will develop the next stage of scissor use—holding the scissors appropriately and snipping paper.
When is it appropriate to begin teaching my child how to write the letters of the alphabet?
Children should be able to copy simple lines, shapes, and their first names before practicing the proper formation of uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet. Most children are not developmentally ready to begin handwriting instruction until the second half of kindergarten. Your child should not use handwriting workbook pages. Instead, provide your child with a variety of materials that include the alphabet and words, so that she has something to copy, if she so desires. You may begin by selecting a simple word or words that are interesting for your child such as “dog” or “love.”
What type of paper is appropriate for my preschooler to use when writing?
Preschoolers should write on plain paper with no lines. Most four- and five-year-olds do not have the visual perceptual skills or the fine motor control necessary to write letters accurately on a line or between two lines. Elementary paper that includes the dotted line in the middle of two solid lines is even more visually confusing than wide-ruled paper, and so it is best not to use it at all during the preschool years.
What if my child is using fine motor skills that I feel are well below age-appropriate level?
If you are concerned about your child’s participation in fine motor activities, you should discuss your concerns with your child’s pediatrician. You may contact your local school system’s Child Find Program or Special Education Program to request an evaluation. Your child should receive an occupational therapy evaluation to assess thoroughly his fine motor abilities. An occupational therapist (OT) who specializes in fine motor development can make recommendations for you to use at home and can also provide fine motor intervention for your preschooler.
Glossary
Bilateral Hand Skills: The ability to use both hands together to accomplish a task.
Child Find Program: A publicly-funded program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) intended to identify, locate, and evaluate/assess infants and toddlers with potential developmental delays or disabilities.
Cognitive Development:The process of thinking, learning, perception, and reasoning.
Developmentally Appropriate: Activities and educational experiences that match the child’s age and stage of development.
Digital Pronate Grasp: Object is held with all fingers, wrist straight, and forearm moves with hand. Typical grasp for 2- to 3-year-olds.
Dynamic Tripod Grasp: Object is held with fingertips of thumb, index, and middle fingers; ring and little fingers bent; hand moves separately from forearm. Typical grasp for 4½- to 6-year-olds. Mature grasp pattern.
Eye-Hand Coordination:The ability to use fine motor skills to accomplish a task that the eyes and brain want to complete.
Fine Motor: Movement of the small muscles in the fingers, hands, and forearms (for example, writing, cutting with scissors, stringing beads, or drawing). Another term for “small motor.”
Finger Isolation: Using one finger (for example, pointing).
Grasp: Hold with fingers.
Gross Motor Skills: Movement of the large muscles in the arms, legs, and back (for example,
walking, running, or kicking). Another term for “large motor.”
Hand Dominance/Handedness:The hand that develops strength, skill, and precision to perform fine motor tasks. A preference for using one hand over the other.
In-Hand Manipulation: Adjustment of object in the hand, after grasp.
Occupational Therapist (OT): A healthcare professional who helps persons overcome physical or social problems due to illness or disability. OTs are skilled in adapting the environment so that a child can participate in the occupations of childhood: play, school, and self-care.
Open-Ended Activities: Materials or projects used to create without fixed limits or restrictions. For example, drawing on a blank sheet of paper rather than a coloring book.
Pencil Grasp: How a person holds a writing tool.
Pencil Grip:Tool added to pencil to help correct an ineffective pencil grasp.
Pincer Grasp: Using index finger and thumb to hold an object.
Pipette: A syringe-like device used to pick up and dispense a liquid.
Proprioceptive Sense (Proprioception): The unconscious awareness of sensations coming from the muscles and joints that provides information about where each part of the body is and how it is moving.
Quadripod Grasp: Held with fingertips of thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers; little finger bent; hand moves separately from forearm. Mature grasp pattern.
Reciprocal Hand Skills: Using one hand to do one thing while the other hand does something different. For example, when cutting with scissors, one hand holds the paper and the other hand manipulates the scissors.
Release: Using fingers to let go of an object.
Static Tripod Grasp: Held with crude approximation of thumb, index, and middle fingers; ring and little fingers are only slightly bent; grasped high on the utensil. Typical grasp for 3½- to 4-year-olds.
Stylus: A pointed metal or wooden tool used to make indentations in the support surface.
Tactile Sense:The sensory system responsible for identifying touch input, understanding what has been felt, and preparing for a response.
Index
A
Acrylic paint
Acrylic spray
Address books
Alum
Animals
masks
stuffed
Apple seeds
Asawa, Ruth
B
Bags
freezer
messenger
paper
resealable
Balance
Bananas
Bark
Barrettes
Beads
Bilateral coordination
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Bilateral hand skills
defined
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Binoculars
Blankets
Blocks
Bolts
Bottles
glue
medicine
plastic
spray
travel-size
Bowls
Boxes
Briefcases
Broken toys
Bubble wrap
Bubbles
Buckets
Bulb paintbrushes
Buttons
C
Calculators
Calder, Alexander
Cameras
digital
Cardboard
Cardstock
Carrying
Cars
Cell phones
Chairs
Chalk
sidewalk
Chalkboards
Chenille sticks
Child Find Program
defined
Chopsticks
Clay
modeling
Clips
Cloths
Coffee cans
Coffee filters
Coffee stirrers
Cognitive development defined
Coin purses
Coins
Collages
Colored glue
Colored pencils
Colorforms
Coloring books
Colors
Combs
Confetti
Construction paper
Construction vehicles
Contact paper
Containers
air-tight
plastic
Cookie sheets
Cooking oil
Coordination
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Copy paper
Copying skills
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Corduroy
Cornstarch
Cotton balls
Cotton swabs
Counting activities
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Craft sticks
Crayons
easy-grip
large
Cups
measuring
nut
paper
plastic
Curlers
Cutting materials
Cutting skills
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
D
Decorating icing
Denim
Descriptive language skills
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
Developmental readiness
Developmentally appropriate practices
defined
Dexterity
Digital cameras
Digital pronate grasp
defined
Dimes
Directional terms
Dishwashing liquid
Dolls
dressing
paper
Dramatic play
Drawer liners
Dressing skills
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Dress-up clothes
Dry-erase boards
Dry-erase markers
Duct tape
Dynamic tripod grasp
defined
E
Easels
Edible sprinkles
Electrical tape
Erasers
Eyedroppers
Eye-hand coordination
defined
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
F
Fabric glue
Fabric
Faux fur
Feathers
Feeding skills
five-year-olds
three-year-olds
Felt board
Felt pieces
Fences
Fine motor skills
cutting
defined
foundations of
helping preschoolers with
learning space
tools
writing
Finger coordination
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Finger isolation
defined
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Fingerpaint
paper
Finger puppets
Finger strength
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Fingerplays
Finishing nails
Five-year-olds
bilateral coordination
bilateral hand skills
coordination
copying skills
counting skills
cutting skills
descriptive language skills
dressing skills
>
eye-hand coordination
feeding skills
finger isolation
finger strength
grasp
hand strength
outdoor activities
pencil grasp
pincer grasp
shapes
singing activities
storytelling
stringing/lacing skills
tracing skills
vertical surfaces
writing/drawing tools
Flowerpots
Flowers
Foam pieces
Foam soap
Foam stamps
Foil
Following directions
Food coloring
Forearm control
Forks
plastic
Four-year-olds
bilateral coordination
bilateral hand skills
coordination
copying skills
counting skills
cutting skills
descriptive language skills
dressing skills
eye-hand coordination
finger coordination
finger isolation
finger strength
grasp
hand strength
outdoor activities
pencil grasp
pincer grasp
pouring skills
release skills
shapes
singing activities
sizes
storytelling
stringing/lacing skills
tracing skills
upper-body strength
vertical surfaces
writing/drawing tools
Frames
Freezer bags
Funnels
G
Gender
Geoboards
Gifts
Glitter
glue
pens
Gloves
Glue
bottles
colored
fabric
glitter
wood
sticks
Golf pencils
Golf tees
Graph paper
Grasp
defined
five-year-olds
four-year-olds
three-year-olds
Grass
Greeting cards
Everyday Play Page 8