

The other alternative is to add a soft grip to the pencil. Weight or texture is added to a basic writing implement to provide sensory feedback, which aids in control. Both methods provide physical support during the act of writing.īetter pencil grip can be accomplished with a change to the pen or pencil itself. When wrist and arm support is the goal, the child may either rest his/her arm on a device, or wear one directly on the arm.


I have noted that children with tactile sensitivity have said it “tickles” their fingers and they do not prefer to use it. On the flip side, the constant light hum (like white noise) can be somewhat soothing to the writer. I often recommend using for homework, as the slight buzz can be distracting to classmates. Based on my experience, the vibration pencil, more specifically the Ark Z-Vibe*, has been so useful in motivating so many children to write. The vibration pencil also seems to entice children with sensory seeking behaviors, as it gives them sensory feedback to their fingers and helps to keep them focused on the task. Vibration is a sensory technique that can be used to “wake up” or stimulate muscles and allow for more efficient muscle use. Vibrating PencilsĬhildren with low muscle tone generally have poor fine motor strength and have difficulties sustaining their grasp on a pencil, which impacts their written production. There are pencil weight kits that you can purchase or you can easily make one from using rubber washers and rod shaped coupling nuts found in a hardware store for a few dollars. A weighted pencil can help to make their pencil steadier and give them the extra weight they need to press more firmly resulting in darker strokes. While some children with proprioception difficulties press too hard, others press too light when writing making their strokes very hard to decipher. Each time the lead breaks it will give the child feedback and the desired result is to help them monitor the pressure they are using.

Mechanical pencils can aid to teach modulation of pressure, as the lead will break if too much pressure is applied. If a child presses too hard when writing their hands fatigue quicker, mistakes are harder to clear away when erasing, and they are more apt to rip the paper (very frustrating!). Mechanical pencilsĬhildren with proprioception problems often have difficulty modulating the pressure they use on items. Here are some tools that may be helpful in exploring ways to best suit your child’s writing & sensory needs. There are different types of writing tools that offer sensory solutions for these children to help make writing an easier task. Consequently, these children tend to avoid writing because it can be quite frustrating for them. Handwriting is a complex skill that can be very difficult for children with sensory processing challenges.
