when do kids learn to hold a pencil/pen/texta etc properly? mY DD1 is 2yrs 7 mths and just uses her whole fist still to hold a pencil. is this normal?

her drawings are circular scribbles she does drawing about every 3 days (is this not enough?) she likes craft ie pasting and stickers etc more than drawing.

thanks

DD2 started holding in a pencil grip at about 2.5 yrs, however, that was because I'd noticed her holding it in the way her sister did (and she needed OT to correct the grip) and I asked her daycare to work on it with her - now she does it without thinking.

I don't think there's a specific age when they start or should start to do this. Some kids take the pencil grip immediately like my DD who was 14mo, whereas others use the fist grip. It's up to you/teacher to show them the correct way to hold the pencil and with practice they will eventually get it. HTH

no real age just some kids catch on it faster, my DD is working on it with an OT and shes almost 6

Fine motor skills can take a while. A couple of my kids needed special "grips" for their pencils when they were in Kindergarten, and they weren't the only ones.

My DS has been holding a pencil correctly since about 2.5years, now at 3 he is drawing faces with arms/legs coming out of the head.

On rare occaisons he picks up the pencil with a fist and goes to draw but changes it to the pencil grip within a few seconds.

I don't think there is a set 'age'

As a qualified Child Care worker, "adult like" pencil grip usually develops around the 4-5 year age group. Before then there are stages to holding a pencil and every child has to go through ALL the stages to developing.

They may do this early, and be holding it in adult form at 2, or may take longer to get through the stages and therefore not get to adult grip until 5,6 or 7.

Heres a few links to some activities to help develop pencil grip for those interested
http://www.rch.org.au/emplibrary/ot/InfoSheet_A.pdf

http://www.drawyourworld.com/grip.html

http://www.csea-scea.ca/TeachingIdeas/stages.html

I wouldn't even remotely worry about it until they are at school. They'll soon pick it up when they need to.

I noticed about 2 weeks ago that my 14 month DD holds her pencil the correct way, she watches me so much and has just taught herself. i was amazed at her, cause i wouldn't have thought she'd do this for another year.

I agree with LittleMissPink, the last link LittleMissPink has provided especially will explain that your DD is at an appropriate stage for her age.
Your DD is at least practicing so i wouldn't worry about it just yet.
Once your DD develops her fine motor skills a bit more ( using her fingers with better control) you will notice that her elbow and forearm will lift off the table and then her wrist will also start to move giving her better control over where she pushes the pencil, which will change her drawing from scribble to pictures.
If you attempt to hold a pencil in a fist grip and lock your wrist and elbow in one position and try to draw you might get a better idea of what i am trying to explain .
A couple of activities which might help her fine motor are those puzzles with the little pegs used to lift the pieces in and out, and a nail board and rubber bands (hammer tall thin nails into a piece of board in a grid pattern and the child stretches the rubber bands over the nails to make patterns/pictures).
I hope some of my rambling has made sense to you!!