Any occupational therapy tips for working on fine motor skills?

[Veritaserum]

My almost-6yo has great difficulty with holding small things generally. She grips everything in her fist. Even with pencil grips she cannot hold a pencil. She can't grip it tightly enough. She is my fifth child and it definitely seems abnormal/delayed. She has a hard time with things like buttons or snaps, too. She lacks the dexterity to maneuver the buttons and the strength to squeeze the snaps.

 

I've gotten a few toys to help (a sorting game with tweezers, beads that snap together, a board with buckles and locks to push and pull). I would love more ideas.

[Myeightkiddies]

I had the same problem with my son.  For pencil grip, I purchased these pencils.  It's been quite a few months, but just this week he started holding crayons properly without me reminding him.  We are still going to use the special pencils for awhile, but there is definite improvement.

[mom2att]

My middle child was like this.  I did Handwriting Without Tears preschool (which was developed by an OT) with him, and one of the things I learned from that was to have him use very short pencils or crayons.  The writing utensil is easier to control because its smaller, for one thing, but it also forces the child into a correct pencil grip, grasping between the thumb and forefinger.  They also recommend playdough to increase hand strength, rolling out letter shapes or whatever. 

[Dmmetler]

Another HWOT trick-drive small cars (Micromachines were the ones we used-do they still exist) along paths-either the HWOT wood letter pieces, or lines on the floor, or curves made of yarn, or lines printed on a piece of paper or drawn by mom with chalk on the sidewalk.

 

MakingLearningFun has a ton of printables that are designed for working on fine motor with preschoolers, and I used them up to age 6 or so when DD started to refuse because it was baby stuff, but if it's new, it might work for you longer (I'd started on that about age 2-3, because DD was diagnosed with delayed fine motor at 2) The little sticker mosaics are good, too. As are almost any small craft items.

 

Beading-we started on pipe cleaners with pony beads, then string with aglets with pony beads, then string using a needle with pony beads and then plastic "crystal beads",  and then beading wire and small beads, and finally beading cord and small beads.

 

I love, love LOVE the HWOT flip crayons, and even with a 9 yr old, still have a couple of boxes in my purse at all times. Not only are they great for fine motor development, but they're so easy to keep around for those "stuck waiting" situations along with a small notebook.

 

 

 

[Targhee]

There are several different motor skills involved in writing - key grip, whole hand grip, pincer grip, shoulder strength, and trunk stabilization, etc. all of these are important. So make sure the tasks match the weaknesses, and aren't all targeting the same muscle groups.

 

I agree with suggestions above, especially HET and short pencils, play dough (hide things in it to be found), there are grip exercises like feeding a face you make from a tennis ball, shoulder exercises like monkey bars and climbing, torso building things like planks and supermans, etc. and of course Legos and pearler beads. And don't forget cutting and coloring. Make it fun.

[LibraryLover]

Fun muscle-building activities:

 

Paint or markers at an easel

White board at the easel or wall

Chalkboard on the wall/easel

Tearing paper for collages/art

Cut paper, play dough with scissors. Use a garlic press with play dough

Peel stickers for art/collage.

Make paper chains

Use a bubble wand

Weaving activities (you can make one from pieces of tree branches, weave yarn, plastic, feathers, crepe paper etc. If you have a chain link fence, you can pretty it up. :))

Funnels, strainers, measuring cups, eye droppers etc in water- sink or bath.

Manipulate any small objects: beads, puzzle pieces, Lego, Playmobil, rocks, mancala gems etc

 

 

[Clear Creek]

When she uses the tweezers, make sure you have her hold a cotton ball or something similar to her palm with her ring finger and pinky finger; this will force her to use the tweezers with the thumb and first two fingers, which is what will develop the necessary strength and dexterity to use a tripod grip when she writes/colors.

[Veritaserum]

Great ideas! Thanks! After talking with a pediatric occupational therapist friend (who unfortunately lives across the country), I've decided to take her in for evaluation to check what skills to target. If she would benefit from therapy, we'd do that. If she isn't bad enough to need it, I would at least know what to work on at home.

[Laura Corin]

Calvin's OT had him burying buttons in play-doh with his fingers, then digging them back out again.

 

L

[SandyKC]

We used therapy putty a lot and did treasure hunts with it like one of the earlier posters suggested.  My guys LOVED making Beady Buddies too and we made TONS of them during our O/T years.  They LOVED making them and giving to their friends.  We bought huge buckets of beads at Hobby Lobby and the buckets usually include patterns.  We made lizards, snakes, frogs, crosses, fish, and all kinds of things.  It's a great way to help with fine motor skills and have fun at the same time!

We also used the peanut shaped pencil grips, did finger exercises, finger plays, etc.  Since you'll be going to an OT for an eval, I'm sure they'll give you some other good ideas. ;-)

[Rosie_0801]

Look up retained primitive reflexes. You can start with the palmar reflex, which is tickling her palm as frequently as she'll tolerate it until you can get to 40 without her pulling away. 

[Targhee]

I forgot to add writing on a vertical surface (like a white board) or with tools which give more resistance/feedback (like crayons and chalk).  Our OT had DD write on the windows with dry erase crayons.