Why doctors warn about touchscreens – and how KUMON CONNECT keeps writing skills strong

Doctors and child development experts are increasingly warning about the risks of too much touchscreen use among young children. It is often reported that many children are starting school unable to hold a pencil properly because their hand muscles and fine motor skills haven’t developed as they once did.

Sally Payne, Head Paediatric Occupational Therapist at the Heart of England NHS Trust, explains: 

“Children are not coming into school with the hand strength and dexterity they had 10 years ago. They’re being given a pencil but are increasingly not able to hold it because they don’t have the fundamental movement skills.”

Tapping and swiping on phones or tablets use very different muscles from those needed for writing. Without opportunities to grip, press and control a pencil, children can struggle to develop the coordination and precision essential for handwriting and other classroom tasks.

The Kumon Approach: Technology That Builds, Not Replaces, Skills

At Kumon, we believe technology should support, not replace, the skills that matter most. Our KUMON CONNECT service allows students to complete their worksheets digitally, but always using a screen-responsive stylus.

This means children still practise the same fine motor movements required to hold and control a pencil, while also benefiting from the convenience and engagement of digital learning. The stylus keeps handwriting, pressure control and muscle memory part of every Kumon session.

In other words, the stylus replaces the pencil, not the skill.

Supporting School Readiness Through Pencil Skills

Our early-years pencil skills programme helps children develop strength, coordination and confidence. They progress from simple colouring to drawing lines, shapes and patterns that prepare them for writing letters and numbers with accuracy and speed.

These activities not only build hand control but also foster focus, patience and cognitive growth,  qualities that benefit all areas of learning, from maths to reading comprehension.

Balancing Digital Convenience with Developmental Benefits

Modern life makes screen time almost unavoidable. But by using technology thoughtfully, with tools like Kumon CONNECT, children can gain the advantages of digital learning without sacrificing essential developmental skills.

Kumon ensures every student continues to develop the physical and mental foundations needed for lifelong learning – one stylus stroke at a time.