Here are some activities to strengthen the hand muscles. This will help make writing, cutting and self help skills such as using a zipper, easier.
Using a spoon to transfer small beans from one bowl to another.
Picking up small beans with your fingers.
Squeezing a sponge filled with water.
Putting cheerios on a stick stuck on the table with play do.
Cutting thin cardboard, like a paper towel roll, will make it easier when learning to use scissors.
Use short or broken crayons, or pencils (1 ½ inches) when colouring, drawing, or printing:
This will help your child develop an efficient pencil grasp
Work on an up-right surface:
This will help your child to develop an efficient pencil grasp and improve upper body strength. Examples: foam soap while in the bathtub, paper taped to fridge or wall, dry erase board or blackboard mounted on the wall.
Learn letters or shapes without using a pencil:
Start with capital letters. Form shapes and letters with your index finger in playdough, cornmeal, foam soap, shaving cream, etc. Tape letters on the floor with masking tape. Your child can hope, crawl, jump, walk or drive toy cars along the path.
Work on developing a good pencil grasp without using a pencil:
To strengthen the muscles used to hold the pencil, use small tongs to pick up or sort household items (e.g. LEGO, cotton balls). Use an eye dropper in craft activities such as squeezing coloured water onto coffee filters or paper.
This is a song that helps your child warm up their fingers using playdough. This is a great finger workout to do before writing, drawing or cutting.