Crayon Rocks...
Not that we need more drawing implements but more the need to get Elijah to use a pincer grip. Oh yes I had a cunning plan! Elijah can draw really complex pictures far beyond his age normally would, can write neatly all letters of the alphabet and numbers up to 100 - the issue is his love of using a palm grip and not favouring either hand. So when Lou posted her tutorial on making your own crayons I remembered back to a couple of years ago when I had made a few in muffin tins. Elijah was a little too young to really appreciate them then but they did get some use.
Fast forward to today. Having almost burnt the house down the first time - lesson to be learnt here - using a silicone tray from a cheapy shop (lesson: never trust them!), I decided to use my old muffin tray lined with foil instead. Then once they had melted, I let them cool down enough so I could handle them. I then shaped them into 'rocks'. This way he can't use a palm grip as they fit neatly inside his palm, he has no option but to use a pincer grip.
Now while they don't look pretty, they do serve their purpose. I just used cheap crayons from the Warehouse because every $2 type shop had been cleared of crayons and when I asked at the counter they looked at me like I was asking for something rare!
Fast forward to today. Having almost burnt the house down the first time - lesson to be learnt here - using a silicone tray from a cheapy shop (lesson: never trust them!), I decided to use my old muffin tray lined with foil instead. Then once they had melted, I let them cool down enough so I could handle them. I then shaped them into 'rocks'. This way he can't use a palm grip as they fit neatly inside his palm, he has no option but to use a pincer grip.
Now while they don't look pretty, they do serve their purpose. I just used cheap crayons from the Warehouse because every $2 type shop had been cleared of crayons and when I asked at the counter they looked at me like I was asking for something rare!
Demonstrating a pincer grip
Left and ...
Right!
Find Lou's tutorial here
when i taught new entrants i used to buy those rubbery grip things that slide over pencils and pens to help with pincer grip, from wharehouse stationary. wish jesse was more into drawing!!
ReplyDeletecool rock crayons! What boy wouldn't want to draw with those!! im not showing my kids because I probably would end up burning the house down LOL!
ReplyDeleteI like! I saw some where someone had used an icecube mold in the microwave and made little heart crayons! Very cool!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you got the book in time to do something fun for the hols!