Review: The Pencil Grip, Inc.

I'm always impressed with products we receive from The Pencil Grip, Inc. This time we received The Ultra Safe Safety Scissors and The 3 Step Pencil Grip Training Kit. 

Scissors
Let's start with the scissors. Folks, these things are just really, really cool. I have really wanted to introduce cutting with my four-year-old Hannah, but have really and truly worried about her inability to focus and instead cut herself. She doesn't react well with "dull" scissors or things that aren't up to grown-up standards. (She wants to use high-quality products and doesn't want to not do what the big kids do.) So I knew I needed something that would feel like the real thing without the real risk. That is exactly what these scissors are for Hannah.

Here are some pictures of the scissors in action with my six-year-old daughter Abigail serving as the model!

I love how their website says "Safe no longer means dull." That is exactly what we found in our house. The scissors cut so well, but there is virtually no way to hurt yourself while using them. 

I'll be honest, I found it a little difficult for my veteran cutters (like my third-grade boys) to use the scissors as they didn't grow up on them. But my younger daughters, neither one incredibly profficient with cutting, both did beautifully using them. Abigail especially. Hannah is still a tad too young (and untrustworthy) but Abigail knocked it out of the park as you can see from the pictures. 

The following is taken from the description of the item on Amazon:

Safe no longer means dull with The Ultra Safe Scissor! Unlike other safety scissors with blunt blades, the Ultra Safe Scissor is sharp but harmless with the permanent shield making it impossible for kids to cut themselves. The ergonomic shape is easy to hold allowing the user to cut with safety and precision. A flexible spring automatically opens after being squeezed closed, making it useful for a child with limited strength or coordination. The spring can also be folded in for less restricted use.

Oh, and did I mention the best part? They are only $4!

Pencil Grips
Next up is the The 3 Step Pencil Grip Training Kit. One of my two sons has really poor grip when he writes, so I was really excited to try out this product.

How did we like it?

Well, the short answer is: it works great! It forces the child to hold their pencil the correct way.

The long answer is that my son, in general, gets frustrated with new things. So while I think this is great for a child his age, I want to really suggest it for new writers. Start with this from the beginning! I think it is a great idea and will work fantastically!

Here's a picture of my son who has trouble with his grip practicing with one of the grips.

So how does this product work? Well, firstly there are three grips (which come in assorted colors):

• The Crossover Grip -- use this one first with adult supervision to train the child.
• The Pinch Grip -- used on all writing instruments for transition
• The Pencil Grip -- Graduation!

Here is a picture of the three grips we received: 

From Left: The Pinch Grip, The Pencil Grip, the Crossover Grip

Note that you can buy these separately if you desire. However, the pack of three is just under $9 -- a very affordable rate for the quality of product you receive. These are not going to break easily.

You can learn more about The Pencil Grip, Inc. by checking them out on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest and as always, feel free to email me at wkitsteienr@gmail.com for more information. We really liked both of these products and think they will make a great inclusion to your home products!