Skill: Distal Finger Control

The ability to move just the very tips of the fingers while keeping the rest of the hand steady. This is key for small, precise movements like writing or buttoning.

Coil Wrap Precision

Coil Wrap Precision

Steps:

  • Use markers to color the craft sticks with different patterns or colors. This makes the finished product more visually appealing.
  • Place the colored craft stick flat on the table and hold it firmly with your helper hand to keep it from rolling (proximal stability).
  • Take one pipe cleaner. Use the fingertips of your dominant hand to tightly wrap the pipe cleaner around the craft stick, creating neat, tight coils.
  • Try to wrap the coil as close and tight as possible. When one pipe cleaner is finished, secure the end and wrap a new one until the stick is covered.
  • Open the container of small stickers. Use your precise pincer grasp to peel one sticker off the backing.
  • Challenge yourself to place the small sticker exactly onto one of the tight pipe cleaner coils. Use a firm press to secure it. Fill the coils with colorful stickers!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the child maintains good seated posture (feet flat on the floor) to support the fine motor movements. Check the ends of the pipe cleaners for sharp edges before starting.

Confetti Rainmakers

Confetti Rainmakers

Steps:

  • Invite your child to select several colors of construction paper. Their first job is to use the hole puncher to create a big pile of ‘rain’ or confetti. Encourage them to use both hands to stabilize the paper and squeeze the puncher with strength (great for hand intrinsic muscles!).
  • Place the paper cup next to the confetti pile. Challenge your child to use the tongs to pick up each tiny piece of confetti and drop it into the cup. This requires slow, careful pincer control and focus!
  • When the cup is full, encourage your child to stand up and hold the cup high above their head. Then, they can gently tilt it to make the colorful ‘confetti rain’ fall down, providing visual and proprioceptive input before repeating the scooping process.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the hole puncher is used correctly and supervise closely to prevent pieces of confetti from being placed in the mouth, nose, or ears.

Sticky Web Art

Sticky Web Art

Steps:

  • Select a clean, sturdy wall or door frame. Place a large piece of masking tape vertically to act as an anchor point.
  • Create a ‘sticky web’ or vertical canvas by attaching strips of masking tape across the anchored piece, ensuring the sticky side faces OUT toward the child.
  • Provide a bowl of pom-poms, crumbled tissue paper, and wiggle eyes. Encourage the child to peel and stick these items onto the sticky web. Challenge them to reach high and low to activate different muscle groups.
  • Discuss the textures and colors they are adding. This is a great way to work on bilateral coordination by having one hand stabilize the body while the other hand works to place the materials precisely.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise the activity. Ensure the floor area is clear, especially if your child is reaching up on their toes. When removing the tape, peel it off slowly and carefully to prevent paint damage.

Sticky Pom-Pom Push

Steps:

  • Prepare your ‘sticky canvas’ by securing long strips of masking tape to a wall or a safe vertical surface (like a refrigerator or door). The key is to place the tape so the sticky side faces OUT toward the child.
  • Place a basket or container of pom-poms next to the child. Encourage them to pick up the pom-poms using their thumb and fingertips (pincer control).
  • Ask your child to stick the pom-poms onto the tape, using a firm push to make sure they stick. Challenge them to reach up, down, and across their body to fill the entire sticky surface!
  • When finished, the child can peel the pom-poms off the tape, which provides great resistance and further works those intrinsic hand muscles.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the child is supervised, especially when reaching up high. Make sure the tape is placed at an appropriate height where the child is not required to over-extend dangerously.

Nuts and Bolts Tripod Grasp

Activity Steps

  1. Preparation: Place a variety of nuts and bolts on a table or tray. If your child is new to this skill, start with just 2 or 3 large pairs to keep it successful and frustration-free.

  2. Sort and Match: Ask your child to dig through the pile to find a “match” (one nut and one bolt that fit together). This helps them practice visual discrimination to tell the difference between sizes.

  3. The Assembly: Have your child hold the bolt steady in one hand (their “helper hand”). With their dominant hand, encourage them to pick up the nut using their thumb, index, and middle finger. This is the tripod grasp.

  4. Twist and Turn: Ask them to screw the nut onto the bolt. Watch to see if they can use their fingers to rotate the nut rather than moving their whole arm or shoulder.

  5. Unscrew: Once they are all assembled, taking them apart is just as valuable! It uses different muscle groups and extends the play.