It would seem that what difference does it make which pen the child writes with. But not everything is so simple. Stationery can be indispensable helpers for young schoolchildren. It is the right little things that will make the learning process easier and more enjoyable. In order to help the student get not only the benefit, but also the pleasure of writing, choose the right pen for him. It is best to do this with your child.
Choosing a pen for a first grader is not an easy and responsible task. During the initial development of a child's writing skills, every detail counts. From the thickness of the rod to the shape of the handle body and the material it is made of. And even ink colors.
The underdeveloped muscles of the hands of a first grader with a low level of voluntary attention turn writing into a difficult job.
In the past, first graders wrote with fountain pens, which helped them develop correct writing skills. The fact is that fountain pens can only write with a certain tilt and pressure. Therefore, the students learned to hold the pen correctly over time.
Perhaps the only drawback of pens was the many blots in the first graders' copybooks. Calculating the slope correctly is not an easy task. It took a lot of effort to get a line of optimal thickness. After all, if you squeeze your hand a little harder, you will get a blot, a little less - the pen does not write.
Today you can find models of ballpoint pens that begin to write poorly when tilted the wrong way. Thanks to this, the child automatically selects the optimal tilt and already without the help of adults learns to hold the handle correctly.
What are the pens
It turns out that there are a lot of pens that are simple at first glance. To determine which one is more suitable for a first grader, you need to know the characteristics of each of them.
Ball pen
The most common handle is with a shank thickness of 0.5 to 0.7mm. If you nevertheless decide to stop at a ballpoint pen, it is better to have a triangular body. Firstly, such a handle fits comfortably in a child's hand. Secondly, the possibility of slipping is excluded, which means overstrain of children's fingers. Of the shortcomings, it can be noted that the rods of such handles are often too easily soiled. It is better to choose a rod with a ball of medium thickness.
The gel pen
It is most often eye-catching due to its brighter ink. However, these pens are more suitable for older children. Since the intensity of the ink supply in the gel rod cannot be adjusted, it is least suitable for young schoolchildren. Writing with such a rod will leave stains and smudges.
Capillary pen
Such pens are almost indistinguishable from a felt-tip pen, because they were originally intended for sketching and drawing. With their help, you should not teach a child to write. A very big drawback of such writing instruments is that the line from them shines through the thin paper of the notebook.
Oil pen
The oil ink pen is extremely pleasant to use. The special structure and consistency of the ink facilitates easy sliding on paper. In addition, this ink dries quickly and does not fade for a long time. At any level of development of writing skills, these pens are suitable for every child mastering writing. The only drawback of an oil pen is that the ink consumption is usually quite high.
A few rules for buying a pen for a first grader
The handle chosen should be safe, comfortable, inexpensive.
Pay attention to the quality of the plastic from which the pen body is made. It is better if it complies with environmental standards. In addition, the handle should not be heavy. A child's hand that is not yet accustomed to writing can quickly get tired.
It is undesirable for the handle to be longer than 13 cm.
There must be a rubber pad in the place of contact with the child's fingers. If you purchased just such a handle, your child will be able to firmly fix it. Most likely, his hand will not slide on it.
Even if the child really asks for a pen in a figured case, especially decorated with volumetric elements, do not rush to satisfy this whim. Despite their visual appeal, such pens are extremely inconvenient for writing, especially long-term ones. Pens with a lot of elements or with several rods can be dangerous for a child. For the same reason, it is better to use a pen without a cap.
If the younger student is left-handed, you can purchase a special pen for left-handed children. It is specially designed taking into account their physiological characteristics.
