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OT Time!
Fine Motor: Hand/Finger Strengthening and Grasp
Promoting a Mature Grasp
Proper hand/finger positioning includes wrist extended with fingers flexed and 1st 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 1st 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
Specific questions or comments?
Contact your school’s occupational therapist!
Information Compiled by Melissa Lavorgna, MOT, OTR/L
This information is also available as a printable handout.
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