DIY pencil grips work if you keep them simple

The easiest homemade pencil grip is washi or fabric tape wrapped around the barrel. It takes ten seconds, and it works fine.

For a thicker, more squishy grip, wrap a small piece of self-adhesive bandage or athletic tape around the pencil a few times. Cut it narrow enough that it doesn’t cover the writing tip. If you want shape, a few dots of hot glue around the barrel give you a bumpy grip once you let it cool. Not pretty, but functional.

For something closer to a real grip, mold polymer clay around the pencil, form a triangle or a blob where the fingers land, and bake it per the clay instructions. It works, it stays in place, and you can make it exactly the size your kid needs. Only downside: it’s a little less durable than a store-bought grip.

But honestly, if the goal is just correcting grip, buy a pack of rubber grips for a few dollars. They’re cheap, they’re already the right shape, and you won’t have to redo them