How it works

  • How it works

Sunny Markers are designed and developed by a Kiwi Occupational Therapist living in Melbourne.

Through our experience and passion with working with children, we have found fine motor skills to be the foundation for independence and have such a big impact on children's emergent literacy, communication, connection and learning. It is therefore our vision at Sunny Markers for all children to be able to express themselves and connect to their world as confident and involved learners.

  • At the heart of Sunny Markers, we want to help.

  • Sunny Markers are Occupational Therapist designed, with children's development as our focus.

    Sunny Markers are designed to be short and thick in shape and size to support children of all ages improve their fine motor skills and develop a functional and mature pen grasp.

    Whether your child is in pre-kinder, kinder, or school, support the development of their fine motor skills and grasp by using Sunny Markers.

As therapists, we are always looking for ways to best support the children we see. Sunny Markers provides a solution to be able to best support children to develop fine motor skills, not only during academic skills such as scribbling, drawing, colouring, writing and cutting, but also in:

Self-care skills

For example dressing and eating (using cutlery, opening and closing packets, bottles and containers)

Play skills

For example construction skills using lego, puzzles, train tracks and doll dressing and manipulation

  • Why do Sunny Markers make a difference?

  • Thickness and Diameter

    Thickness and Diameter: Why does thickness matter?

  • Our thick pens support muscle development for all children, and particularly  children with reduced strength in their fingers and hands. Children are able to grip onto wider pens better than thin ones for a sustained time, building intrinsic muscles in the hands and fingers and enabling increased strength and endurance in all drawing, colouring and writing activities. 

  • As our thick pens are easier to hold, they also reduce stress, pain and fatigue in the fingers and hands making table top activities more enjoyable and fun.

  • Our pens support development of coordination, as the thicker size means children require less dexterity in the fingers and hands to manipulate the pen, making them easier to control and manoeuvre. 

  • Length

    Why does size matter?

  • Our short pens support children to use a pincer or tripod grasp. This is because a child is unable to wrap all fingers around the short pen in a fisted grasp, or place all fingers up the pen in a 4-fingered grasp.

  • Children therefore open the index finger and thumb to create web space and use a more mature tripod grasp.

  • Short pens also build intrinsic muscles in the hands and fingers. Our short pens are manipulated more easily in the hand. This discourages children from using too many fingers and putting too much force on the pen. 

  • Foam Grip

    Why does grip matter?

  • Occupational therapists often recommend children use foam grips. Our foam grips provide added comfort, supporting children to be more able and motivated to participate in activities by relieving hand and finger pain, reducing fatigue, and improving comfort.

  • What are fine motor skills

    and why do they matter? 

  • Fine motor refers to the group of skills involved in the ability to manipulate smaller objects with the hands and fingers -  for example, grasping, holding and pinching. The Australian Early Years Learning Framework identify the importance of fine motor development as a foundation for children’s independence.