Ideas and resources
Have you tried the writing claw? What do you think? Is this the new way to get children to hold their pencil correctly or just another do-dad for the parent to buy? My children both hold their pencils – I wont say incorrectly but different than they are meant to hold them (according to the teacher). I think as long as there is no wrist pain and the writing is correct and controlled then each child is entitled to their own style. What do you think?
If you live in a city with an NFL team or just like football, now is a great time to add some football themed learning activities into the mix ahead of the big game.
ABCs of Literacy has some cute football shaped letter printables you can use in a sensory bin, to practice letter recognition or spelling, hide around the room to make a scavenger hunt and more. The set includes upper case and lower case letters and worksheets for kids to mark which letters they found. They also have a color by letter printable with a football theme.
Rock Your Homeschool has a fun collection of football themed printables, including a maze and connect the dots, football helmet math, a writing activity and sequencing, among other things. You can also find a set of football themed Perler bead patterns including a football, trophy, jersey and helmet.
Speaking of helmets, Fantastic Fun and Learning has a set of helmet alphabet cards you can print to use for an alphabet scavenger hunt. The set includes a page you can laminate so kids can reuse it to practice tracing the letters they find.
Get out those dot markers and print off the designs from 3 Dinosaurs for an easy art and fine motor activity. The shapes include a football and a helmet with options made out of dots and those with dots on the shape. And you can get in some gross motor activity, too, with their printable activity dice with a football theme. These are perfect for getting some movement in when it’s too cold to go outside.
And if you have kids at home or in the classroom who love bingo, there are a couple of football themed bingo printables that I found. This one from Artsy Fartsy Mama has cute little icons of different penalties and football moves, so it’s perfect for kids who already know a little bit about the game. An easier one comes from The Best Ideas for Kids, which uses clip art of football themed icons and food to make a bingo.
Actually, I think that the supposed ‘correct’ way to hold a pencil may contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome, and I refuse to hold my pencil that way. In fact, I CAN’T hold it that way even long enough to sign my name, any more, without my CPS flaring up – so nope – I don’t think kids should be forced to hold their pencil any specific way.
They need to find a way to hold it, that doesn’t hurt their fingers or wrist, that still gives the writing result required. I don’t see anything wrong with teaching them the traditional hold – but if it doesn’t work for them, then we need to find a way that suits their hands better. This reminds me of the old tradition of tying a left-handed kid’s left hand behind his/her back, and forcing them to write right handed. What is natural for one isn’t necessarily natural for the next.
Definitely a doodad aimed to get parents separated from their money. I don’t hold my pencil/pen the way the device shows and I have most excellent handwriting!