Trial and Error – Using Pencil to learning life lessons

No amount of happiness compares to the time when you first held your baby in your hands, then when your baby learned to say their first word and then their first step and so on…

After all of these fun and exciting stages of your child’s development arrives the most thoughtful stage- teaching them to write! While it is comparatively easy to teach kids how to converse verbally, writing practice is an essential and time-consuming part of learning. Learning and educational toys are some of the best presents you can buy for babies.

The very first stage of writing involves deciding the appropriate medium to introduce writing. Until now, most parents have allowed kids to play around with crayons/ finger painting kit but when it comes to writing, the safest option is encouraging kids to start using ‘pencils’.

Now, why should pencils be the first medium they are encouraged to use when kids first learn to write? Is it only because that is what is taught or expected of them at school?

Yes, as a matter of fact, pencils are the first medium of writing taught to kids at school, however, there is a reason why it is so. Unlike a pen, a pencil requires one to put pressure on the paper in order to write or draw, increasing the contact between the pencil and the paper, developing a better finger grip and eye-hand coordination. Pencil’s are a motivation boost for children. Not only do they make children believe that their mistakes can be rectified but also motivate them to do better the next time.

A good writing experience with a pencil is what a child needs to make a mark in the journey of learning, growth and discoveries.

Pencils are also a great way to teach kids a very valuable life lesson. In order to write better, a sharpened pencil is essential, which means that kids will have to learn to sharpen their pencils on their own. This teaches them patience and also makes them realise that nothing comes effortlessly, one has to put in work to go ahead and complete a task.  

And lastly, as we all know, pencils allow kids to erase their mistakes and re-do their work. They realise that there is scope for improvement and making mistakes which helps them to learn and explore without worries. After all, learning should have no boundaries, right?

Without introducing pencils as the first medium of writing, we would raise fearful kids and fear is the biggest thief of learning. 

Even as adults, at what point in our development do mistakes become something to fear? What’s wrong with getting something wrong, then trying again until we get it right? Nothing!

Mistakes are the portals of discovery. – James Joyce

The truth is, everyone makes mistakes because that’s how we learn and grow. Erasers are for people who are willing to correct their mistakes.

It’s about time we normalise our little ones making mistakes and learning from them because it’s these little things that contribute to their life for a brighter future! And that, my dear parents, is why you should encourage kids to write with pencils in their initial years! Buy the drawing books for beginners to make your child improve in drawing basic also.

At PepPlay, we believe that making mistakes is important for the little ones, what matters is to do better the next time! And for that, we have just what you need! Check out our range of Reusable Educational Doodle Placemats which are packed with fun!