Activities to Promote Hand Use
Hand function depends, not only on the physical control of the trunk, shoulder, arms and hands, but also on visual, perceptual and cognitive development.
Hand function consists of reach, grasp, release, and competence in the use of the hand is required for supporting body weight, for moving into different positions, for grasping, manipulating, feeling and communicating.
Reaching
- Use objects which encourage reach, such as mobiles, balloons, bubbles
- Encourage him to pull a cord which activates a musical box or puppet
- Have a tug a war
Grasping with the whole hand (palmar grasp)
- Encourage a child to take objects from and put objects back into a container
- Squeeze squeakers, sponges or Playdough
Releasing Objects
- Use shape sorters; drop objects into large containers or use smaller containers as he develops the skill
- Throw bean bags onto a target or into a bucket
- Make patterns with large and small pegs on a board
Using a Flat Hand
- Encourage child to bear weight through his hands by crawling or walking "on all fours"
- Make handprints in paint, sand or Playdough
- Play pat a cake or other clapping games
Transferring an object from one hand to the other
- Use toys which require manipulation to explore, such as Koosh animals and balls
- Play games on the floor, with child rolling to one side to pick up an object and transferring to the other hand while lying on his back, then rolling to the other side to place the toy in a container, a man in a car and so on
Grasping with the thumb, and middle finger (tripod grasp)
- Encourage the child to post cylindrical shapes or pick up and use pencils and crayons
- Paint or paste some pictures using a fat paintbrush
Grasping with a thumb and finger ends (pincer grasp)
- Use pegs, beads, buttons on a string, puzzles with knobs
- Get the child to clip pegs onto a clothes line or hanger and remove them
Using index finger with other fingers
- Use toys that need to be pressed to activate them (eg. toy telephone, pop up toy)
- Encourage child to make holes in Playdough with fingers
- Play games with finger puppets, sing and play finger rhymes
Using the thumb
- Do thumb or finger printing
- Make pictures by pushing drawing pins into a board
- Press studs on clothes or home made rag books
General Ideas to promote Hand Use
- Pack your child's lunch in a variety of containers: main carrier with zip fastening, containers for food with screwtops, snaptop lids etc
- Kitchen play or cooking session where child gets to hold the bowl, sift the flour, mix the dough, use a rolling pin etc
- Make a Collage, encourage cutting, sticking and pasting
Above adapted from "Sensory Motor Activities for Early Development" by Chia Swee Hong, Helen Gabriel & Cathy St John, 2000.
Note: We found the above manual filled with great activities, categorised in "needs" commonly identified by professionals and caregivers. Serves as a beneficial resource for parents and caregivers on activities which can be easily adapted at home. The authors also recommend the book for newly qualified practitioners who often ask the question: "Where do I begin?" and encourage them to work together in enabling their child to be more independent. The resource is currently available on site.
Copyright (C) 2003 Explora Learning Company Pte Ltd.
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