• Hand Strengthening Activities

    • Play dough:
      • Rolling it into a ball – wrap fingers around and squeeze until it comes out through fingers
      • Rolling it out into a “snake” – use index finger and thumb to pinch the dough using only fingertips all the way down the snake
      • Rolling it out with a rolling pin and making “cookies” using cookie cutters
      • Hide small beads or objects in the dough and have them use their fingers to dig and find it (this is also good with harder Theraputty)
      • Using a knife and fork with a mature grasp to cut the dough as if it were food

    • Tearing paper into small pieces to make mosaic-like artwork. Works well for leaves on trees, snow, grass, flowers…use your imagination!

    • Using a spray bottle to water plants or spray over a watercolor painting to make the colors run and blend together

    • Cut a 1-2” slit in a tennis ball and give it eyes and nose so the slit looks like a mouth. Put your thumb and fingers on opposite sides of the slit to make him “talk” or he can “eat” coins

    • Use tongs or large tweezers to puck up small objects (used in games like Operation) or adapt games like Don’t Spill the Beans to use large tweezers (such as Zoo Sticks) to pick up the beans

    • Put your hand palm down fingers outstretched onto a small face towel. Use only your fingers to try and get the entire towel into a ball in your palm

    • Use clothespins or ChipClips to pin things onto a string. This can also be done to a piece of paper, stuffed animal, or blanket. Make sure they are pinching the clothespins or clips with the tips of their thumb and index finger for the best effect.

    • Using eye droppers to make watercolor pictures (works well on coffee filters)

    • Beading activities such as making jewelry

    • Translating small items from palm to fingertips using only one hand – start with 2 items and use your fingers to manipulate the items, one at a time, to your fingertips and drop them into a cup. Also works well with coins into a piggy bank

    • Penny flipping: line up 10 pennies and see how fast you can pick them up and flip them over. If there are two of you, have a penny flipping race

    • Try to screw and unscrew the cap of a tub of toothpaste while holding the tube in your palm and using your thumb and index fingers to manipulate the cap

    • Playing with toys like Light Brite or putting push-pins into a cork board

    • Using modeling clay or play dough to make small objects or animals – these can also be baked and painted

    • Pencil walk and flip: hold a pencil as if you are going to write with it. Keeping the tripod position, walk your fingers up towards the eraser. When you get there, flip the pencil over without using other hand or a surface to brace it. Walk fingers back to the other end, still keeping the tripod position, and repeat

    • Play tug of war with a coffee stirrer, pipe cleaner, or a jump rope (without wrapping rope around your hand)

    • Coloring in a coloring book with small pictures or details making sure mature tri-pod grasp is used throughout coloring

    • Use a hand (non-electric) pencil or crayon sharpener

    • Use a hole punch, glue, stapler, scissors, and thick paper to create an art project

    • Using kid friendly tools such as a hammer or screwdriver to do pretend constructional projects

    • Tape paper to the wall or use an easel to draw and color

    • Animal walks (crab or bear) or wheelbarrow walking