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Children lack skill in holding pencils due to iPads

Pencils - Level 0

Technology means today's children aren't good at using pencils. Children spend a lot of time swiping screens. This means their hands do not have the muscles to write. A researcher said: "Children are not coming into school with the hand strength...they had 10 years ago." Children do not have the skills to hold a pencil.

Technology is changing how children write, draw or make things. Children need to build muscles by playing, climbing trees, using building blocks, cutting and sticking, etc. Some people say technology creates bigger problems. If a child isn't strong enough to hold a pencil, maybe their whole body is weak.

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Pencils - Level 1

Technology is lowering children's ability to use pencils. Researchers said children spend so much time swiping screens that they cannot hold a pencil properly. Their hands do not have the muscle power to write properly. A researcher said: "Children are not coming into school with the hand strength...they had 10 years ago. Children...are being given a pencil but are increasingly not able to hold it because they don't have the...skills."

Technology is changing how children write, draw or make things. The researcher explained that it's easier to give a child an iPad than let them build muscles by playing, using building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling ropes. Children are not getting the skills they need to hold a pencil. Some researchers say technology creates bigger problems. If a child isn't strong enough to hold a pencil, perhaps their whole body is weak. They need to climb trees.

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Pencils - Level 2

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New technology is reducing children's ability to use a pencil. Researchers from the UK's health service said that children spend so much time swiping iPads or mobile phone screens that they cannot hold a pencil properly. This means their hands do not have the muscle strength to be able to write properly. Researcher Dr Sally Payne said: "Children are not coming into school with the hand strength...they had 10 years ago. Children coming into school are being given a pencil but are increasingly not able to hold it because they don't have the...skills."

Technology is changing the way that children write, draw or make things. Children are now using technology to create. Dr Payne explained that: "It's easier to give a child an iPad than encourage them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes [so] they're not developing the...skills they need to grip and hold a pencil." Some experts say technology is causing bigger problems. One expert said if a child isn't strong enough to hold a pencil, perhaps their whole body is weak. She said children needed to climb trees instead.

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Pencils - Level 3

A study shows that new technology is reducing children's ability to use a pencil or pen. The study is from the National Health Service in the UK. Researchers said that nowadays, children spend so much time swiping iPads or mobile phone screens that they cannot hold a pencil properly. Children are not using pencils, so they now lack the muscle strength in their hands to be able to write properly. Researcher Dr Sally Payne said: "Children are not coming into school with the hand strength and [ability] they had 10 years ago. Children coming into school are being given a pencil but are increasingly not able to hold it because they don't have the fundamental movement skills."

The researchers said technology is changing the physical way that children write, draw or make things. Children are increasingly using technology to create. Dr Payne explained why. She said: "It's easier to give a child an iPad than encourage them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes. Because of this, they're not developing the underlying foundation skills they need to grip and hold a pencil." Some experts say technology may be causing bigger problems. One expert said if a child isn't strong enough to hold a pencil, perhaps their whole body is weak. She said it was better for children's physical development to climb trees than to watch YouTube videos.

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