Left Handed Pen/Pencil Grip - Pack of 4 Correct way to hold a pen: Hold the pen between the thumb and the index finger, a little above the tip, with a gap in between. The pen should be resting on the middle finger to support it. It should be easy for your child to move the pen up and down by moving those three fingers only. A functional pencil grip will allow hand and finger muscles to move freely, which can help your children’s handwriting skills.