1. Quadrupod Grasp, or Four Fingered Grasp- (3-4 years)- Crayon is held between their thumb, and tips of the pointer finger, middle finger, and ring finger.
Developing a pencil grip
This then transitions to a four-finger grasp between 3.5-4 years and a static tripod grasp between the ages of 3.5 and 4 years where the child holds the writing utensil with the thumb and index finger and rests the writing utensil on the middle finger.
(The quadrupod grasp, 4 fingers, is considered a functional grasp too). Make sure your child's wrist is extended (slightly bent backwards). This position allows for optimal use of the fingers.
Quadrupod grasp is the term for a four-finger grasp pattern where the thumb, index, and middle fingers are placed on the writing utensil with the ring finger tucked beneath. This type of grasp is considered to be less efficient than a tripod grasp, however it can still be functional.
In a quadruped grasp the child holds the pencil with their thumb, index, middle and ring fingers on the pencil. They tuck away the little finger. The child should still hold the pencil with the tips of their fingers, rather than their thumb being wrapped around.
This grip may not put as much stress on the finger joints as other inefficient grips but it does restrict finger movements and therefore the fluidity of the handwriting.
Mature Grasp Styles
Dynamic tripod: The pencil is held in the tips of the thumb, index finger, and long finger, resting in the webspace. Writing is done by moving the fingertips. Dynamic quadrupod: The pencil is held in the tips of the thumb, index finger, long finger, and ring finger, resting in the webspace.
Five finger grasp: The pencil is held with the tips of all five fingers. The movement when writing is primarily on the fifth finger side of the hand. Thumb tuck grasp: The pencil is held in a tripod or quadrupod grasp but with the thumb tucked under the index finger.
At first, their finger movements will look jerky; however, as they develop the skill, their finger movements will become more smooth. Kids will start exploring dynamic tripod and dynamic quadruped grasps around 4 to 5 years old. However, I have also seen it begin to develop in 6 year olds.
A tripod grasp is when you use the thumb, index, and middle finger to manipulate an object. This grasp is used for picking up small objects but most commonly used in describing pencil grasp. A tripod pencil grasp, is when the thumb and index finger pinch a pencil and the pencil rests on the middle finger.
A quadrupod grasp is also referred to as a 4 finger grasp, 3 fingers being on the pencil and then tucked on the 4th finger. It can also be static or dynamic. Dynamic is pictured below.
1st grasp pattern: Power grasp, age 1-2
The first grasp pattern typically to develop around age 1 to 2 is the power, or fisted grasp. At this stage, toddlers are just getting used to holding on to a crayon, chalk, or marker and there is no precision in their drawings.
On TikTok, holding 4 fingers up means you're in love with 1 person and 1 person only. In the past, 4 fingers up symbolized support for mental health issues, especially when used by celebrities.
a) Spherical Grasp, b) Cylindrical Grasp, c) Power Tool Grasp, d) Lateral Precision, e) Pinch Grasp, f) Tripod Precision.
Pencil Grasp Development in Older Toddlers
Between two and three years of age, a child's pencil grasp will transition from the cylindrical grasp (this fisted, whole hand grasp) into the radial cross palmer, where the fingers are all pointed down toward the paper, rather than the palm.
At this point (4 to 6 months old), the early grasp pattern is characterized as a palmar grasp. The object is stabilized against the palm, as the fingers curl around it. The thumb does not yet oppose the fingers. At around 6 to 8 months, the thumb becomes more involved in a radial palmar grasp.
By the age of 8 / 9 years old it can be very difficult to get a child to change their pencil grip especially if the old grip, like the quadrupod grip (Stage 4), is very similar to the new grip the dynamic tripod grip.
A three fingered or tripod grasp is when the thumb, index finger and middle finger work together to pick up small objects.
The Tripod Grip is a grip using three fingers of the hand - the thumb, index and middle fingers. A child typically develops this grip around the age of three or four. It is a functional grasp which is essential for a number of tasks, such as holding a pencil or fastening buttons.
In the adaptive tripod grasp, the child places the pencil between the index and middle fingers rather than within the traditional web space.
While the dynamic tripod grasp is known for being the “gold standard” for pencil grasps, there are actually 3 other mature grasp patterns that are just as desirable. Research shows that the quadrupod, lateral tripod, and lateral quadrupod grasps are equally as effective as the tripod.
Static Tripod Grasp: Around Ages 3.5- 4 Years Old
This grasp utilizes 4 fingers where the thumb, index, and middle finger work together on the pencil and rest on the 4th finger.
“Dynamic” means that the movement of the pencil or writing utensil comes from the fingers with the support of the wrist and forearm. You will see this grasp develop around 5 to 6 years old.