Pencil Pressure

Strategies to reduce pressure when writing:

Have a child who uses too much pressure when writing or coloring?  Here are some strategies to try which should help to reduce the pressure used.  Keep in mind, these are not "once and done" cures for this.  You may need to consistently utilize these strategies for a few times/weeks to improve a child's pressure.
1-Place the child's paper on top of a soft mouse pad or towel.  If he/she uses too much pressure, the pencil tip will poke through the paper (try not to use construction paper as it will take more pressure to poke through). Discuss with the child why the pencil poked through.
2-Have the child use a mechanical pencil.  Too much pressure will cause the tip to break. Discuss with the child why the tip broke.
3-Have the child color a picture using a pencil.  Have him/her color part of the picture dark grey, part of it medium grey and part of the picture light grey.  Discuss the different pressures need to produce these colors.  Show him/her the "right" pressure he/she should be using and practice making the medium grey color.