A hand is closely linked to the brain, so the baby's tactile abilities play a huge role for proper mental development. Since early childhood, train your gross motor skills and movements of the whole limbs with your child, and stretch your child's body.

After having practiced gross motor skills, move to fine motor skills, practice palm grip and then pinch grip with the child, for example, by moving legumes from one bowl to another using a hand and later a spoon.

For writing, get your child a thicker, triangular pencil first, which will make it much easier for your child to hold it firmly. Make sure your child isn't holding it too convulsively, ensuring correct position of the fingers, inclination of the pencil, and also check the pressure so that the child doesn't apply too much pressure on the paper when using the pencil. At the same time, the child should write sufficiently visibly, which can be initially ensured by softer grade of the pencil lead. Consult a kindergarten teacher when you want to start using a thinner pencil.

KOH-I-NOOR HARDTMUTH TIP: The ideal triangular, thicker pencil for pre-schoolers has a diameter of at least 9 mm and a softer lead, i.e. hardness 2 or corresponding HB.