All in a scribble – Pre-writing skills ( Fine motor component)

Just like a child needs to sit before he/she can stand, and stand before he/she can run, pre-writing comes before the actual skill of writing. As a parent, I am currently witnessing my 3-year-old’s love and fascination for the paintbrush. I watch in admiration as she adeptly handles the paintbrush, as she bathes the curves of a clay pot with bright paint, or when she skilfully navigates her brush lightly over the boundary of a picture to avoid crossing over.

But as a Physical therapist, I knew that I had to encourage her pre-writing skills the very first time she tried to hold a block. Through this write-up, I’m hoping to present my journey as a parent and as a professional and bring to you the best from both worlds. I shall be focussing on the fine-motor component of pre-writing.

Where does a parent begin?

To be aware is to be informed, and to be informed is to be empowered. Hence the knowledge that 'natural development cannot be rushed' is where a parent must begin.

Kowing why pre-writing skills are considered pre-requisites to writing efficiently and legibly can then add to this basic premise.

Writing alphabets and numbers, and the ability to write text are not the same thing. To create written text, one needs higher-order / executive functioning of the brain such as planning, memory, sustained focus, organization, and self- regulation. Whereas, handwriting or the ability to write an alphabet, or a number legibly requires fine motor skills / intrinsic muscle strength, the stability of the wrist, trunk control, shoulder stability, visual perceptual skills, the palmar arch of the hand, and a good overall posture of the body. Let’s talk briefly about the role of each of these factors here below.

1) Fine motor skills/ intrinsic muscle strength:

The small muscles of the hand, work together in facilitating a firm grip on the pencil/pen. They also work in synergy with the wrist and allow for various types of grips while manipulating an object such as a crayon, a sketch pen, or a paintbrush, etc. Fine motor skills rely on visual perceptual and discrimination skills (the ability to find similarities and differences in objects/numbers/letters), sensory processing (the ability to integrate various sensory stimuli and process them) motor planning (a step by step process of performing an activity) and attention abilities (coming from the prefrontal cortex that functions to dull out unnecessary input and create a focus on what is essential).

2) Wrist stability:

The muscles of the wrist stretch (extend) and bend the wrist and work in synergy with the hand muscles in enhancing the grip. The most stable position of the wrist for writing is in the extended (stretched) position. Children who have a poor muscle tone in their wrist, often write with a bent wrist and this does not allow for optimal movement of the fingers.

Let’s have you perform a short experiment now. Hold a pencil/ pen in your hand and bend your wrist all the way. Then try and move your fingers, as if attempting to write something. You may notice that there isn’t much room left for your fingers to move and that they are stiff.

Now try and extend or stretch your wrist (between complete bending and extending) and try again. Do you see what I mean? Suddenly, your fingers have better mobility and control over the pen/pencil enhancing your grip on it. The terminology used for such a phenomenon is ‘Active insufficiency’.

Active insufficiency is when a muscle is stretched to its limit as it passes over two joints and is then no longer able to facilitate movement.

3) Trunk control:

A steady, well-balanced trunk (abdomen, and back) is necessary to achieve good handwriting. A child who has poor posture, is slumped over or leaning back, has trouble coordinating movements of the fingers or controlling certain strokes with the pencil/pen.

4) Shoulder stability:

If the shoulder is not stable and moves constantly, small movements of the finger are harder to control, and the result is poor handwriting. You may have noticed when your child first began scribbling, how he/she may have used the whole arm from the shoulder, instead of from the wrist. In doing so, the child might be able to draw larger shapes or scribbles but is unable to create smaller, more defined letters.

Gradually over time, children begin to hold the shoulder and the elbow stable to rest the forearm on the writing surface and use the wrist and hand to write.

5) Visual Perceptual skills:

As the words suggest, these skills allow a child to understand cognitively, what is presented visually. There are many components to visual perception, but for the purpose of this write-up, let’s just stick to the ability to understand the written word, letter, or number. I shall explain this component in detail in my next write up.

6) The palmar arches of the hand:

Arches are the wrinkles on the inside of the hand that assist in forming a better grip on the writing equipment. These arches make it possible for gripping the writing equipment in a functional way, where there is no fatigue or tiredness of the hand while writing.

7) Overall posture of the body:

Poor posture, over time, can cause undue stress on the supporting structures of the body such as ligaments, muscles, joints, etc leading to pain and fatigue. Poor posture looks a bit like this;

a) Slouching

b) Not sitting steady and constantly changing positions

c) Leaning on the table, too close to the writing surface

d) Tilting the head awkwardly while writing

e) Not stabilizing the paper/writing surface with the non-dominant hand/arm and dangling it by the side of the chair instead

f) Sitting at the edge of the seat instead of all the way back in the chair

g) Feet dangling from the chair while sitting

So as you can see, this sitting posture creates unnecessary stress and a good posture (with a supported back, feet flat on the floor, nondominant hand stabilizing the writing surface, thighs parallel to the floor, sitting upright and tilting the paper instead of the head to suit writing), although often overlooked, lies at the heart of developing good writing practices.

Pre-writing skills prepare children to hold and maneuver a pencil/pen fluently. They are designed to build awareness about the body and posture and to improve fine motor strength / the strength of the small muscles of the hand. Children are then able to competently manage drawing, copying, writing, and colouring.

The hand in writing:

Maria Montessori, an Italian educator, and physician stated that “The child’s intelligence can develop to a certain level without the help of the hand. But if it develops with his hand, then the level it reaches is higher, and the child’s character is stronger”. I passionately believe in this, and I have experienced every bit of it in my own journey with my daughter.

If you are aware of your child’s sensitivities (https://prachiraophysio.wixsite.com/mom-me/post/how-does-my-child-learn ), you may want to build an empire of opportunities around them.

To be able to create opportunities or build a learning activity for pre-writing skills, all you need is a simple understanding of ‘prehension’. Prehension is nothing but the process of gripping or holding an object in the hand. The number of ways in which an object can be manipulated in the hand, are infinite and may vary among individuals. However, for convenience, and keeping in mind the purpose of the write-up, I shall state a few important grips.

1) Palmar grip/grasp:

In this type of grip, the whole palm is used. A crude palmar grasp develops around 3-4 months of age when the baby tries to manipulate toys like a rattle. Around 5 months the baby can hold an object from the little finger/pinkie finger side of the hand. At around 6 months, the baby begins to grasp a ball using the thumb, and a whole palmar grasp is achieved. At around 7 months, the baby begins to use the thumb side of the palm, which is called the radial palmar grasp. By 8 months, the baby is able to use the palm to roll a ball on the ground.

2) Pad to pad prehension:

An 8-10-month-old baby can begin to grip objects like blocks using the pads (pulpy parts) of their fingers.

3) Tip to pad prehension:

Post 10 months, the baby develops this grasp, where the baby is now able to hold an object between the tip of one finger and the pad (the pulpy part) of the thumb.

4) The cylindrical palmar grasp:

After the child’s 1st birthday, he/ she begins to grasp an object with the whole palm, with the fingers wrapped around the object and the thumb in the opposite direction. This is when the child can begin to scribble with crayons or even attempt to hold a pen/pencil/chalk.

5) Digital pronate grasp:

Between 2-3 years, a child begins to grip a pen/pencil/chalk (writing equipment) in a manner that looks a bit like the tripod grip/pencil holding grip, but isn’t a true grip. The child is still not able to isolate movements in the wrist and hand and uses more of the shoulder to scribble/write. This is also around when the child begins to scribble and name his/her creation based on real-life objects.

6) Static tripod/quadruped grasp:

Between 3-4 years, the child begins to use the first three fingers ( thumb, index, and middle finger) to grip the writing equipment (pencil/pen/crayon/paintbrush, etc). The pinkie finger and the ring finger are however used for stability to the grip, and may not participate in the actual process of writing. Hence the writing is not very clear, and the child may still be using the forearm and the shoulder to help move and manipulate the writing equipment.

7) Dynamic tripod grip:

At 5-6 years, the dynamic tripod grip develops, where the child begins to use all the fingers well to create legible forms of writing. This is usually when the child begins to go to formal school or enter kindergarten.

I’m sure this understanding about the various types of grips/grasps related to writing, may have given you some clarity of around when actual writing or the process of creating a legible script begins. Having said that, these age limits are not set in stone and the child could be ahead or slightly behind in developing these skills.

I’d like to emphasize here that, if this natural process of development is rushed, and the child is pressurized to write legibly or correctly, earlier than the given age, there are issues later on in the child's life. I would urge you to not rush development for the sake of education, because natural development simply cannot be rushed. A holistic approach to writing is quite necessary and all factors must be considered before any conclusions are drawn.

Many a time, a child’s grasp may not conform to the norms mentioned in the standard types of grasps described above. A child may adjust his/her grasp based on his/her convenience, the thickness of the writing equipment, and the type of writing equipment used.

However, setting the stage for these skills to develop or providing plenty of opportunities around these skills for the child to explore, can aid natural development. A major component of pre-writing skills is the pre-writing strokes that most letters, numbers, and early drawings are comprised of. They’re typically mastered in sequential order, as per the child’s age. These strokes are; ‘|’(vertical lines /standing lines), ‘_‘ (horizontal lines/sleeping lines), ‘o’ (circles), ‘+’ (plus sign), ‘/’ (oblique lines) ‘\’, ‘x’ (cross), and ‘triangle’.

Paediatric Physical therapist, Margaret Rice, Occupational Therapist Colleen Beck et al, have written that in pre-writing development, there is a difference between ‘imitating’ and ‘copying’. Imitation is when the child watches a demonstration of a shape being drawn and then he/she tries to draw what was demonstrated.

Copying is when the child tries to draw a picture of a shape shown to him/her. Kids usually learn to imitate shapes before they learn to copy them. After a child has mastered how to ‘copy’ a shape, visual memory of it is formed in a child’s brain and then the child can draw the shape without having to refer to the actual image of it. There is a vast variation in this development, similar to any other developmental milestone in a child’s life, and it must not be assumed that if your child has a variation, that is automatically abnormal.

Some typical progressions of developmentally-appropriate milestones in pre-writing skills (The age ranges mentioned must be considered as a rough guide only)

1) 1 – 2 years:

Scribbling, imitating vertical lines, horizontal lines and circular scribbles

2) 2-3 years:

Copying a vertical line, horizontal line, and a circle

Imitating a cross shape

3) 3-4 years:

Drawing a circle based on visual memory, without the need for an image.

4) 4-5 years:

Imitating a square

Copying a cross, square, oblique lines, cross shape, some letters and numbers

May be able to write his/her own name

Drawing a recognizable face with eyes, nose, mouth, etc

Drawing a basic stick figure

Colouring inside a circle and filling it at least halfway

5) 5-6 years:

Copying a triangle

Printing own name

Copying most capital and lower-case letters

Drawing a person with some body parts

What activities can a parent arrange?

A generic list of some basic pre-writing activity ideas:

Although this list is not exhaustive, and imagination is the limit when it comes to engaging a child in these areas, it gives you a perspective on how stress-free and fun this essentially is. As long as you don't rush development, and keep the pressure off of yourself and your child, writing isn't rocket science and will come when it has to.

Providing exposure is key, and this list will help you begin thinking. In fact, you shall see that there isn't necessarily a separate time you have to cut out for your child to begin focusing on writing. Make learning fun, help aid the process instead of focusing on the outcome and you'll notice how your little one takes to it. Suck the boredom out of it, and avoid pronouncing it as a rule set in stone.

Growing up is fun and learning to write is part of that fun. It isn't something the child needs to learn because of a requirement at school or because you want him/her to. It is a life skill and life skills don't bloom if the right environment is not provided. Read on to see how easy this is.

1) Chores like sorting leafy greens (cilantro, fenugreek, dill ), sorting lentils (Rajma, chole, beans, and so on), kneading dough, folding laundry, wringing wet laundry, polishing shoes, opening, and closing bottle caps and lids, transferring from one container to another (note that transfer activities are not classed as fine motor activities. These do not work on the intrinsic muscles primarily but help stabilize the wrist and work on the muscles of the forearm. The repetitive nature of such activities helps in building an association with precision handling and prehension ), laying the table, peeling vegetables, stirring, pouring, and so on.

2) Play-based activities using playdough, pompoms, beads, toothpicks, tongs, droppers or pipettes, peeling off stickers, finger painting, and so on

Make tracing fun using the finger instead of a writing utensil (pen, pencil). Writing is a multisensory process and try and incorporate as many sensory stimuli as you can. (Touch, smell, taste, vision, and auditory)

3) trace with water, paint, in salt, sand, on playdough, with a paintbrush, using toy cars, in the open air or on each other's back as part of a guessing game, with beads, in the bath on steamy walls and glass doors, and so on. - scented playdough, a glitter glue bottle, bells tied around a writing utensil can all appeal to the senses while making writing fun

-Trace patterns with manipulatives - lentils from your kitchen, beads from your craft cupboard, playdough, and anything fun you can think of

4) Cutting practice

Allow the child to use child-safe scissors and engage in cutting scraps of paper, patterns you draw on paper or pictures from a magazine or newspaper, and so on. Playdough scissors, cutting spaghetti, using a butter knife to slice boiled veggies, applying butter on a slice of bread are some other alternatives to explore.

5) Allow the child to play with loose parts and manipulatives such as gemstones, pebbles, sticks (in sand), feathers, straws, lego blocks, scarves and pipe cleaners, sponges and scrubs, shoelaces, little toys, and so on

6) Scribbling is where it all begins. So provide different writing utensils such as colorful pens, sketch pens, crayons, and such of various sizes and grips for the child to experiment with the grip. Combine these with varied writing surfaces such as blackboards (vertical and horizontal), whiteboards, paper (drawing paper, printer paper, newspaper, and what have you), scribble pads, books, and so on.

7) Make sure the child is in good posture while practicing some focussed writing when the time is right. Invest in a good table and chair set up and avoid using pillows and mats to use as writing supports if the child is investing more time in the activity.

8) Give your child a free hand at writing. Holding your child's hand may interfere with the sensory input that reaches the higher centers for processing. This may be necessary to cue, but not beyond that. Not every dot on a tracing pattern matters. Focus on the big picture!

9) Avoid judgment of any kind and overcorrecting the child. You may not write like your child does, and may not choose to use a grip that your child does. But it isn't your choice here, you're only a guide and that is important to remember. If you find something amiss, you may inform your child respectfully to convey your message. Avoid comparisons of any sort with anyone, may it be a peer or an adult. You may compare the child's writing and legibility with her own writing in the past, however, to boost confidence. Know the milestones and look for red flags.

10) Nobody likes to work under pressure, and your child isn't any different. Nagging, yelling, screaming, and such are only put offs and yield absolutely nothing! So be mindful.

Create opportunities for gross motor play (using larger muscle groups). Indoor and outdoor opportunities for climbing, hanging, crawling, throwing, bouncing lifting, and so on help develop postural control and overall trunk and body stability. There is simply no substitute for play. It is a child's work.

11) Play visual discrimination games such as find the differences, or similarities, point at patterns in nature and around the child's natural environment, work through mazes and puzzles together, trace ants and their paths, match socks from a pile of laundry, match shoes from a jumble, find matching earrings and jewelry from amidst the bling, go on scavenger hunts and so on

12) Play games around listening / attention / focus / concentration. Make sure the child has a routine to follow so physiological needs are taken care of and try to be as consistent with routines as possible. Routines are different from schedules. Over-scheduling a child's play may simply mean not letting enough time for time in' and this could prove counterproductive for a higher-order function such as attention. Keep all activities limited to the child's attention span. Attention is not limitless.

As you can see, it is not impossible to do. Whether you're a working parent, a single parent, or a stay-at-home parent this does not require fancy setups or expensive equipment. If you wish to give it direction and you have the time, you could certainly use these basic prompts and create activities for your child. But that isn't necessary, or won't make your child any 'smarter' or write any better than if you didn't do it.

A child does not need any special management to learn to write. A supportive, vigilant, and encouraging parent, a safe place for feelings and emotions, and an opportunity to explore are all that is needed. If you notice abnormalities, there's always help available. Writing difficulties can be corrected with timely help depending on the cause after a thorough assessment by the appropriate professional. Hope this write-up helps clear the dust over pre-conceived notions, prejudices, and misinformation that surrounds the process of writing.

Attached below is a video where I analyse grips and fine motor skills along with a few activities my daughter and I bonded over. These activities are coupled with other goals of early learning. The possibilities are endless, and this is just a rough guide, to begin with.

I hope you have enjoyed this read and feel informed by the end of it. This is a 2 part series, and do keep an eye on part 2 of these videos where I’m chatting with Paediatric Physiotherapist, Dr. Sanket Khadilkar (PT). We walk you through the various writing difficulties that a child can experience, the correction around it, and how a holistic approach to writing is crucial in developing and sustaining a child's interest in the long run. Stay tuned!

References:

(n.d.). Retrieved September 05, 2020, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/motor-planning-activities-for-handwriting.html

The Handwriting Book. (n.d.). Retrieved September 05, 2020, from http://www.functionalskillsforkids.com/p/thehandwritingbook.html

Learning Activities To Develop Kids' Skills. (n.d.). Retrieved September 05, 2020, from https://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/

Levangie, P. K., Norkin, C. C., & Lewek, M. D. (2019). Joint structure and function: A comprehensive analysis. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Villaneda, A. (2020, August 15). Motor Planning: Poor Motor Planning Leads to Lack of Confidence in the Classroom. Retrieved September 05, 2020, from https://ilslearningcorner.com/2016-06-motor-planning-poor-motor-planning-leads-lack-confidence-classroom/