Pencil Grasp Development: The Tripod Grasp

Today we’re going to take a look at pencil grasp development, particularly the tripod grasp.

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What is a Tripod Grasp?

The tripod grasp is a three-fingered grasp that typically develops between the ages of 4 and 6 to sometimes 7 years old.

For this grasp, a child holds the pencil between the thumb and index finger with the pencil resting on the middle finger. The 4th and 5th fingers (ring finger and pinkie finger) are tucked inside the palm of the hand.

Static Tripod Grasp

A static tripod grasp is typically seen between the ages of 3 and 4 years old.  In a static tripod grasp, the three fingers are holding the pencil, but the movement of the pencil comes from the wrist, elbow, and shoulder, not the fingers.

Dynamic Tripod Grasp

As a child progresses in their pencil grasp development, we look for static movements to become dynamic.

In other words, we want to start seeing the fingers moving and being the ones to move the pencil across the page, not the wrist, elbow, or shoulder.

Is the Tripod Grasp the Best Pencil Grasp? It is true that a dynamic tripod grasp has been held as the “gold standard” of pencil grasp development.

But the tripod grasp is not the only functional grasp for our children.

"Interventions for handwriting difficulties should focus more on speed and letter formation than on grasp pattern." American Journal of Occupational Therapy 2013.

When would changing a child’s pencil grasp be appropriate?

1. When handwriting speed is negatively affected
2. When legibility is affected (letter formation, spacing, sizing, etc)
3. When a child complains of pain or fatigue when writing

To read more about functional grasps for handwriting, including the quadrupod and modified tripod grasp, click the link below.

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