Fine Motor

OT Time!

Fine Motor: Hand/Finger Strengthening and Grasp

Promoting a Mature Grasp

Proper hand/finger positioning includes wrist extended with fingers flexed and 1^st three fingers on the pencil in a tripod position. Active finger movement (as opposed to whole hand movement) makes writing and coloring more effective.

Write/color on a vertical surface – white board/chalk board on wall, easel, slant board (or 3 inch binder used as slant board), laying on stomach while writing/coloring
- Vertical surfaces automatically put the wrist in the correct extended position
Use short writing implements (less than 2 inches in length) – golfer pencils, broken crayons, short pieces of chalk
- Providing small writing implements will make it difficult to use a fisted grasp, therefore promoting the use of the 1^st three fingers
Promote wrist extension:
- Staple items on a bulletin board, push tacks/push pins in a cork board placed on the wall, stack items above head height
Promote refined finger movements:
- Insert coins/buttons into slotted contained, use a pegboard attached to a wall surface, use small manipulatives (pop beads, nuts/bolts, interlocking resistive toys), use items that promote pincer grasp (stringing beads, lacing boards, clothespins)

Hand/Finger Strengthening Activities

Items to use to increase hand/finger strength:

Tweezers/tongs
Balloon pump
Clothespins and bag clips
Stress balls and stretch toys
Elastic bands
Playdough with cookie cutters/rolling pin
Resistive putty
Bubble wrap
Paper clips
Pipe cleaners and beads
Hole puncher
Spray bottles
Legos
Eye droppers

Activities to increase hand/finger strength:

Crawling
Wheelbarrow walks
Turning self on Sit’n’Spin
Digging in the sand
Climbing
Hanging on jungle gym
Push another person on swing
Tug of war
Pull a heavy wagon

Fine Motor

OT Time!

Fine Motor: Hand/Finger Strengthening and Grasp

ACES Announcements