Slant boards help develop fine motor muscles

Using a slanted upright surface helps children develop fine motor muscles to hold pencils correctly. They need to grip it more tightly to use it than if the paper is flat on a table.  Using easels with chalk, dry erase markers, crayons, or markers are all good ways to help develop these muscles.

It also helps to give them short stubby crayons so they need to grip them rather than let them lean on their hands.