When Kids Chew on Pencils

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Many kids have a tendency to chew on pencils, and it is not usually a problem (sometimes just gross), but when the chewing becomes extreme, it can become a problem. In cases that become problematic, you can try to have the student replace the chewing behavior by giving them something to chew on that is more appropriate. Some people have had success using gum, others may use a water bottle with a bite valve, and others may use a chewable pencil topper.

There are a lot of options out there for chewable pencil toppers, and I wish that I could tell you about each one, but I have only used a couple of them so have no experience with many of them. I do have experience with the chewease clear pencil topper, and have used it the most because it has been available the longest, and it is very unobtrusive because it is clear. It does frustrate me though because it is very difficult to get onto a pencil, and once it is on, it is there for good (unless you are willing to mutilate it, which I am). I guess though the difficulty coming off means that it will not get lost easily.

I recently tried out a new pencil topper, and I liked the chewy texture of it, and I now carry it in the shop and on amazon. I call it the Sensory Fun Zone Chewies Pencil Topper (kind of a long name). It is not as stiff as the chewease, and has a nice chewy texture to it. It is also shaped like a chess piece which can be a big drawing point. It seems like it will work well for kids who concentrate better when they have something to chew on. I don’t yet know how it will hold up to kids that are focused on the utter destruction of their pencil with their teeth.

I also like to use it as a regular chewy because it has a good shape to it. It can be taken off of the pencil and used to chew on, and I tie a lanyard around the base of the chewy so that it can be used as a necklace too.

I would really like to try out some different types of pencil toppers, but I don’t really have a budget for that right now. What is your favorite solution to the pencil chewing problem?

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