Work on Fine Motor Skills

A fine motor skill is any skill that involves the use of the small muscles in the hands, in accordance with what the eyes see. Fine motor activities include anything that requires the strength, coordination and precise movements of the hand muscles. Because fine motor activities encompass so many routine functions, a fine motor delay can have a measurable negative impact on a person's ability to handle daily practical tasks. It is possible to improve fine motor functioning by following these methods for how to work on fine motor skills.

Steps

  1. Strengthen fine motor muscles. There are a number of activities and objects you can use to increase the strength and tone of the small hand muscles:
    • Putty. You may use silly putty or therapeutic putty (which comes in a variety of tensile strengths) in a number of ways to improve fine muscle strength. Squeeze, stretch and manipulate the putty into different shapes. Try folding coins, buttons or other small objects into the putty, then working to get them out.
    • Clay. Using the hands to shape clay is a great way to strengthen fine motor skill muscles, and also to improve fine motor coordination.
    • Tennis balls. Hold a tennis ball and squeeze it to improve fine motor muscle strength and tone.
    • Cutting. Use a pair of blunt scissors to cut through objects of different strengths and textures, such as putty, clay, aluminum foil, felt and thick paper.
    • Folding. Fold construction paper into half, then into quarters, and so on. Press along the folded lines after each fold. Make as many folds as you can.
    • Stretch rubber bands between your fingers and hands.
    • Make a fist and squeeze as tightly as you can. Hold it for as long as you can.
  2. Coordinate eye and hand movements. Every fine motor skill requires that you are able to interpret your visual perceptions into corresponding physical movements. The following activities help to improve the connection between what your eyes see and how your fine motor muscles integrate that information into movements:
    • Hold your arm out in front of you and draw shapes in the air with your fingers.
    • Trace over lines in a picture, or trace shapes, letters and numbers that are made of dotted or dashed lines.
  3. Improve fine motor muscle coordination. With practice, it is possible to increase the ability of the fine motor muscles to work more efficiently together in a singular task. These fine motor activities will help increase coordination of the small hand muscles:
    • Cutting. Mark a variety of lines - straight lines, curved lines, circles, zigzags and different angles - onto a piece of paper, then cut along the lines with scissors.
    • Writing. Use a variety of writing utensils (pens, pencils, markers and crayons) to write words, numbers, letters and symbols.
    • Tying. Practice tying shoe laces or strings into knots and bows.
    • Coloring. Use crayons, markers and/or colored pencils to color pictures. Begin with small, concentrated strokes, then build to large, sweeping strokes. Focus on range of motion for this fine motor skill.
    • Manipulating small objects. Anytime you maneuver something with your hands, you improve your fine motor skills. For example, you may button and unbutton your clothing, pull zippers, screw and unscrew, play a video game, paint a picture, put pegs into a board and then remove them, twist jar lids, use tweezers to grasp a thread and/or cut food using a knife and fork.
  4. Increase finger dexterity. Fine motor activities require that each finger is conditioned to function on its own, separate from other hand muscle movements. This is in addition to the fingers working together. Finger dexterity can be improved by activities like playing the piano and typing.
  5. Incorporate tactile awareness to reinforce fine motor skills.
    • Trace shapes, letters and numbers with your fingers on textured paper.
    • Use your finger to trace words into sand.



Tips

  • Use a Functional Tone Management (FTM) device, which fits on the hand like a glove, if the hand cannot open and close for grasping exercises (which is often the case with stroke patients). The FTM may be found online, or through an occupational therapist.

Sources and Citations

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