Home Activities for Pre-Handwriting Skills

Shoulder Stability

The ability to contract (pull together) the muscles on either side of the shoulder joint to hold the shoulder steady. This allows the arm to be held in different positions while the forearm and hand do an activity. (Department of Occupational Therapy, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne 2005).

Home Activities

Animal Walks: crab, bear, frog, cat, alligator, etc.

Wheelbarrow walks

Monkey bars

Climbing up ladder, rock wall, etc.

Chair or wall push-ups

Playing with toys while on hands/knees

Crawling through tunnel, under bridge, etc.

Lying on stomach while propped on elbows to read, color, write, watch a movie, etc.

Writing on windows/mirrors with window markers then wipe off

Painting or draw using an easel, vertical chalkboard, or paper taped on wall

Gardening activities (digging, carrying watering can, etc.)

Tug-of-War activities

Brushing and washing own hair

Building a tall block tower while reaching above shoulder level to place blocks

Reaching up to pop bubbles

Turning jump rope

Pulling/ pushing a cart or wagon

Yoga poses such as down dog, plank, table, cobra (Shoulder stand for older children)

Household chores, such as vacuuming, sweeping, carrying laundry, etc.

Inverted coloring activities (“upside-down coloring”)

Bilateral Integration

The ability to use both sides of the body at the same time in a controlled and organized manner. This can mean using both sides to do the same thing, using alternating movements such as when walking, or using different movements on each side. (http://therapystreetforkids.com/)

Home Activities

Symmetrical Movements

Jumping Jacks

Popping bubbles with both hands

Tearing paper

Catching, throwing, and bouncing a ball with both hands

Playing Zoom Ball

Pulling apart Legos, pop beads

Asymmetrical Movements

Walking, running, skipping

Opposite skier jumps with alternating side arm/leg movements

Windmills

Cross crawls (elbow touches knee on opposite side) in standing or lying on back

Juggling with scarves

Activities Requiring Different Skills for each hand

Lacing cards

Stringing beads

Cutting with scissors (straws, play-dough, paper, etc.)

Opening/closing containers

Play-dough with tools/cookie cutters

Tracing stencils/ruler to create drawings

Mixing using a spoon while holding bowl

Spreading peanut butter on crackers or icing cookies

Hand Strength

When addressing pre-writing skills, hand strength is an essential foundation skill to consider. Strengthening of the small muscles of the hand helps with establishing a grasp pattern and being able to use it efficiently to participate in coloring, writing, and other fine motor activities. (http://therapystreetforkids.com/)

Home Activities

Playing with clay, play-dough, bread dough, moon sand

Crumpling sheets of paper or newspaper and toss into trashcan, bucket, etc.

Using wide-handled toys (toy shovels, zoom ball)

Carry small suitcase or bags with handle

Squeezing spray bottle to water plants, help clean, etc.

Scooping ice cream or cookie dough using a scooper

Using clothespins or resistive tongs to pick up small objects

Adding tongs or clothespins to board games to pick up game pieces

Attaching clothespins to shirt and take off one at a time

Popping bubbles on bubble wrap

Craft activities requiring squeezing glue bottles, glitter glue, puff paint, etc.

Mr. Ball (tennis ball with cut-out mouth) activities

Squeezing stress balls

Using a hole puncher for crafts

Wringing out sponges or washcloths

Dressing up dolls

Using fingers to open and close Ziploc bags

Wind-up toys

Pushpin activities

Snap-lock beads

Finger puppets

Chalk painting with squirt bottles