Children’s Occupational Therapy
ACTIVITES TO IMPROVE HAND STRENGTH AND FINE MOTOR SKILLS
It is important that your child has sufficient strength in his/her hands and can use the
small muscles in the hand for more refined movements. These skills are necessary
to hold a pencil and to write using finger movements rather than wrist or whole arm
movements. Having a bent thumb in opposition to the index finger when using a tool
such as tweezers or a pencil is important. The child’s wrist should be bent slightly
backwards rather than bent towards the palm. It is also important that your child
experiences touch and joint sensations through hand activities to help with motor
control and planning of movements.
Play dough
Rolling out a sausage form, then pinch off pieces using the thumb and each of the
fingers at a time. Then rolling the pieces into balls using the three writing fingers (a
small bead or marble held by the ring and little finger encourages the fingers to work
in isolation). Make a birds nest by pinching the play dough between the thumb and
fingers, then make eggs for the nest by rolling the play dough into balls.
Squeeze the dough into a large lump, using both hands, to put away. Any resistive
materials can be used – clay, plasticine, putty, blu-tac, bread dough.
Scrunching paper
Using old phone directory paper, have the child sitting at a table and place a sheet
under each hand. Ask the child to scrunch the paper into a ball without lifting the
forearm from the tabletop. The child therefore can only use their fingers for the task
and one hand cannot aid the other. After the balls have been made, the child is
asked to line them up and using their thumb with each finger, flick them away. They
can be flicked toward two marked posts or from a table into a bin.
Pinching pegs
By placing an empty tin on a shelf at about shoulder height to the child, he/she is
asked to place pegs, around the circumference of the tin. The child can attempt it
using the thumb with each finger at a time, reminding him/her that the thumb and little
finger will require some effort. (You may want to include pegs of varying degrees of
flexibility, or wrap elastic bands around the ends of pegs to offer greater resistance).
When removing pegs, the three writing fingers are used. Squeeze pegs positioned
on a clothes horse to remove dolls clothes or dress ups.
Elastic stretch
Using fairly small elastic bands, you can complete with the child to see who can
stretch and hold the elastic band the longest. When stretching use the thumb and
index finger first and then attempt the stretch with each other finger in turn.
Squeeze toys
Squeeze different object such as a ‘stress ball’ or frogs that hop when a connected
bulb is squeezed, fluid filled dolls whose eyes, nose or ears pop out when the trunk is
squeezed, or foam balls and toys. Make this a regular activity each day for one or
two minutes.
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Particular activities for pinch strength
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Play finger games such as incy wincy spider.
Do up buttons on pyjamas and clothes.
Use tweezers to pick up small beads or toys and put them into a container.
Remove coins from a purse one at a time.
Encourage your child to hold an object (a coin or marble) against the palm of
her hand with her ring and little fingers whilst doing some of the above
activities.
Tear up coloured paper for pasting or collage activities.
Threading activities such as beads or lacing cards.
Building and then pulling apart pieces with duplo and lego. Undo and do up
nuts and bolts
Squeeze clothes pegs to remove them from the rim of a peg basket (or icecream container)
Use stickers or sticky tape to stick things down.
Water plants with a spray bottle; squirt a water pistol at a target.
Wind up toys
Child deals out cards when playing games
Tie up a balloon
Art activities that require colouring, scribbling with crayons or pencils.
Colour over coins or templates and other surfaces.
do up zips on pencil cases, bags, clothing
squeeze toothpaste onto brush
peel orange
open up pop top drink bottles
open yoghurt containers, and other packets
use a can opener
use a pipette to put coloured cordial into water
Activities that strengthen the wrist
Encourage your child to draw or write, as much as possible, on a vertical surface as
this can help your child to achieve a good wrist position. (Use an easel, blackboard,
or tape some paper to a wall).
Encourage your child to do activities vertically. For example, placing stickers on a
window or a piece of paper taped to the wall, playing Connect 4 or threading
activities.
Rolling and kneading play dough.
Wrist lifts – place your child’s arm on the table and hold his arm. Encourage them to
make a fist and bend the wrist back as far as possible.
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