What makes a pencil perfect for young beginners? It all comes down to two factors: a larger diameter and shorter length. That’s why we’ve developed the Ticonderoga My First Short Pencil. So today, let’s take a moment to dig into why this pencil is so beneficial to beginners.
All My First pencils, both short and standard length, feature a larger diameter. That’s 1/8 of an inch larger, to be exact. It may not sound like much, but this slight increase really does make it easier for small hands to grip. This is especially true for young children who are still developing small motor skills. This way, they can concentrate on proper finger placement for the correct grip, which leads to improved penmanship, instead of struggling to hold on at all.
The My First Short pencils included the additional benefit of being half the length of a standard pencil. But isn’t that just less pencil per pencil? Yes, but that’s precisely the point. It all comes down to a matter of balance. A shorter pencil brings the center balance point down closer to the user’s hand, making it that much easier for little hands to control. The extra length of a standard pencil effectively acts as a counterweight, which beginners can struggle with. Try attaching some extra weight to the end of your own pencil when you try to write, and you’ll see what we mean.
Therefore, by providing beginners with a pencil that is both larger in diameter and shorter in length, we’re setting them up for success as they learn how to write. It’ll be more fun too – the less they have struggle against the tools for writing, the more they can concentrate on expressing themselves. And that, friends, is what makes the Ticonderoga My First Short Pencil mini, but mighty.
