As fountain pen enthusiasts, we understand why the thought of handing over your limited-edition Montblanc pen to an elementary school child might cause your heart to skip a beat or two. However, young children who are just learning to form their letters into words and sentences are the perfect age to own a fountain pen. What if they drop it or lose it on the bus? No problem. Lamy has you covered. First, let’s explore why you should consider giving your kids fountain pens.
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1. Use Proper Form
If you have recently ventured into an elementary school classroom, you know what a poor pencil grip looks like. The grip that comes naturally to us as adults is one we have learned after years of practice. If nobody teaches them to hold a writing utensil properly, young children develop all sorts of creative ways to hold them – and they work as long as you are using a crayon, pencil, or ballpoint pen.
A fountain pen requires students to change their grip so that it works with the pen. Students must hold the pen at the proper angle and apply the right amount of pressure to release ink evenly across the page. They must pay attention to the details of their form as they are writing to achieve good results.
2. Learn to Think First
Young people born in the last ten years are growing up in a digital age. They are accustomed to typing and erasing, copying and pasting their way through a school project. They can type whatever they are thinking and come back to refine it later.
Writing with a pen and paper requires more thought. Students must think through their topic and ideas before they begin writing. Yes, white-out and erasable ink still exist, but they can be a pain and give your work a sub-par appearance. Students learn that they achieve the best results when they write their ideas thoughtfully the first time around.
3. Master Better Handwriting
While there is still some debate over whether or not using a fountain pen can truly make you write better, there is plenty of evidence to support the argument for giving it a try.
- Using a fountain pen to write requires discipline, leading to more care in the way letters are formed.
- Holding and moving the pen in just the right way encourages coordination of hand and arm muscles responsible for these small movements.
- Forming letters and words slowly gives students more time to think about spelling, punctuation, and other aspects of their writing they may have glossed over in the past.
4. Engage in History
Pen enthusiasts may find the history of the fountain pen intriguing, but you may find a few 8-year-olds that are equally interested. However, the rich history of the fountain pen is interwoven into the history of the United States and the world.
- Our founding fathers used quills, a precursor to modern fountain pens, to craft documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution that framed our country.
- During World War II, soldiers fighting in Europe would have used fountain pens to write home to their loved ones.
- Many modern United States Presidents, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan, used fountain pens to sign important documents during their time in office.
A fountain pen can be a child’s connection between the modern world they see around them and the historical events that influenced and shaped their lives.
5. Gain Useful Skills
Fountain pens are a fantastic art tool used in various forms, from calligraphy to graphic novel illustration. Learning how to hold and effectively use a fountain pen prepares children to use fountain pens to express themselves in creative ways. In their experienced hands, the pen becomes a useful tool to create whatever they can imagine.
The Right Tool for the Job
Small hands need a fountain pen that fits comfortably and will also withstand the bumps and drops that are likely to occur. A great starting place for many young writers is the Lamy ABC fountain pen. With a maple wood shaft and a sturdy medium size nib, it can take a few bumps. The bright blue or red accents are attractive to younger people. The snap cap can be personalized and has flat sides that keep the pen from rolling off a desk onto the floor.
The ergonomic grip is rubberized, making it comfortable to use. It also helps encourage young users to hold the pen properly. The pen can be used as a cartridge pen or a converter pen. The Lamy T10 cartridges are an easy way to eliminate the mess of refilling. However, you can expand your ink choices by adding the Lamy Z28 converter to the pen.
Fountain pens are a rich part of our history that provide an excellent vehicle to teach lifelong skills. If you want to pass on these benefits to the young people in your life, consider giving pens as gifts this holiday season.
