Pilot, Lamy, Pelikan and Faber-Castell produce pens for children with a difference: they are fountain pens – not what parents rush to buy to help with their kids handwriting. Fountain pens have a reputation of being expensive, difficult to handle and messy. When there is a nib, there is trouble – runs the conventional parental wisdom. Fear of inkblots induces parents to supply their children with the "safer" rollerball and gel pens. But fear not because where there is a nib, there’s a way.
Writing instruments that feature a nib and carry liquid ink encourage kids' handwriting, in fact they encourage kids to practice the art of handwriting with flair. Here are some fountain pens produced with children’s hands and parents’ pockets in mind.
Pens for Children by PILOT
PILOT offers three types of pens for kids:
- PILOT PETIT 1 Mini Fountain Pen
- PILOT VARSITY
- PILOT Vpen
The PILOT PETIT is an attractive fountain pen for children and perfect for beginners. It contains water dye ink and it is refillable. Its ink system guarantees that children’s hands will remain smudge-free. It comes in 14 colours, such as Red, Wine Red, Mandarin Orange, Apricot Orange, Cherry Pink, Baby Pink, Apple Green, Cobalt Blue, Clear Blue, Brown, Black. PILOT PETIT 1 comes in 12 Color Gift Sets. Refillable capsules contain 3 cartridges each. Inexpensive (below $5).
PILOT VARSITY is a disposable fountain pen which comes in 5 colors (or in packs of 7). It has a metal effect body with black stripes and a black cap. Inexpensive (under $5).
PILOT V-Pen is a disposable fountain pen with a steel nib that offers excellent performance – smooth writing and good ink flow. It comes in 8 colors. There is also PILOT V-Pen Erasable. Inexpensive (under $5).
Pens for Children by PELIKAN
PELIKAN PELIKANO Junior Fountain pen is designed with children in mind. It is sturdy to withstand rough treatment, it features a special grip to make writing easier for small hands and it is roll-resistant. Its specially attractive design comes in four translucent colors, Blue, Green, Red and Yellow. PELIKANO has got flexible nib and it is suitable for right and left-handed kids. It is refillable (cartridges). Price under $20.
PELIKAN kids pens include PELIKAN Style and PELIKAN FUTURE fountain pens.
Pens for Children by FABER-CASTELL
King of pen and pencil manufacturer Faber-Castell offers a writing instrument suitable for kids. The FABER-CASTELL Children’s fountain pen has a fun design with roll-resistant fun-shaped cap, ergonomic soft grip and ink-viewing window and sturdy nib. Price under $30
Pens for Children by LAMY
LAMY prides itself for developing a fountain pen to meet the needs of children, in cooperation with educational experts. LAMY ABC has a toy-like appearance, wooden body made from maple wood, and ergonomically shaped (rubberized) grip to encourage natural positioning of the fingers. The plastic cap has got a name sticker. Nib is medium and made of steel. Price under $30.
Kids Handwriting and Fountain Pens
The advent of computers and the onslaught of inexpensive and mass produced ballpoint and rollerball pens have marginalized kids' handwriting and the use of fountain pens. Word processing has substituted handwriting as it offers easy correcting and spellchecking reducing the need for paper, ink and erasers. But fountain pens offer a unique writing experience which a keyboard cannot replicate. Inexpensive but attractive and good quality pens for kids are a way for children to reclaim their hands as instruments of writing.
For more pens, see:
Cheap Fountain Pens for Under $20.
Lito Apostolakou - Lito is a historian with an interest in digital archives and online historical resources. She is the author of blog Palimpsest.
