Letter Formation
The charts below show a style commonly used in primary grades. The first chart shows that you begin with the blue (at the tiny circle on top) and then attach the red (again starting with the circle at the top.) Get a printable version of the full alphabet chart here.
When and How to Introduce Pencils/Pens
As with all else, children differ in when they are able to use a pencil. The Steps follow-up activities don’t call for tracing with a pencil until the late 3rd or the 4th Step. Before that, it’s always done with the index finger of their writing hand.
I would allow a child to hold a pencil, pen or crayon in any way they want, until sometime around 3 1/2 to 4 years old. After that, I would try introducing them to the correct use of pencils, as the normal way of holding them will ultimately give them more comfort and flexibility. Here are some ideas for showing a child how to hold a pencil correctly:
Use an “Alligator Mouth”:
Materials to Help
See if a short, trianglular pencil is easier to hold correctly — or — perhaps try some pencil grips. These images were found by googling “devices for holding a pencil correctly.”
These pencils with 3 sides help the child hold on correctly.
