Learning Charms | Charlotte occupational therapy, speech therapy, Mommy and Me, and handwriting tutoring for kids!

I recently completed kindergarten screenings for a few private schools.  I look for age appropriate copying skills, pencil grasp, sensory motor, fine motor and self help skills.  One of the most "flagged" areas is pencil grasp.  Yes, about 50-70% of our kindergarten kids are not using a functional pencil grasp.  Why is holding your pencil correctly so important?  The way we hold a pencil determines how much pencil control we have as well as which muscles are being utilized during handwriting.   Holding a pencil ineffectively changes handwriting/coloring from a task using finger muscles to a task using the large muscles of the hand, arm and shoulder.   The latter causes muscle fatigue, especially as they reach 2nd grade.  How can you help?