Now that Otto is three I would like to see him further develop his tripod grasp. At this age I won't step in and correct his grasp but I but will prepare the environment including the materials to support him.

Due to their unique shapes and designs these crayons support the child's developing tripod grasp, they really help the child to strengthen their hand muscles and work the fingers. These aren''t perfect the child can still hold some of them with a whole hand grasp but overall I've seen an improvement with my child's grasp when using these crayons. Crayon Rocks are fabulous and have always been my absolute go-to for this purpose but I wanted to try a few alternatives too. Here are five crayons that I like for promoting the tripod grasp:

• Octahedron Crayons  - by Kid Made Modern similar  to Gem Crayons
• Left Right Ergonomic Crayons
• Crayon Rocks - also at Montessori Services
• Beeswax Block Crayons
• Grasp Crayons - by Faber Castell 

If you have a slightly older child (4-5yrs+) you may want to look at triangular crayons.  I've also seen Occupational Therapists online recommend using broken crayons for children to improve their grasp.

I acknowledge that using crayons is just one aspect of hand development. There are many other ways that strengthening the hand can assist in a good pencil grip. Threading, using play-dough or clay, climbing trees and using monkey bars are also really important activities for hand development.

If you have concerns about your child's grasp I recommend speaking to your child's teacher or seeing an Occupational Therapist. Please note that many of these crayons are recommended for children age three years+.

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.