Hand Exercises
to help with Writing and fine Motor Difficulties
Writing exercises are useless unless the fingers which hold the pen are moving very finely. Hands and eyes need to co-ordinate together for all drawing and writing activities.
Finger exercises ( hold a bean bag or ball in the hand not being exercised and ensure that the child follows the exercises with his eyes)
1. Choose either left or right hand -
With left hand rotate thumb clockwise, with right hand rotate thumb anti-clockwise around first finger, then second, third fourth then back again. Repeat 2x on each hand.
2. One hand at a time, give the child verbal instructions to " thumb touch first finger" "thumb touch second finger" etc
3. The child should place both hands face down on the table with fingers splayed. Touch one finger and the child should lift just that finger, leaving the rest 'stuck' to the table. Repeat for all fingers.
4. The child puts both hands together as if praying. Ask him to bend in thumbs, then first, second, third and fourth fingers - straighten between each action.
5. Ask the child to wriggle individual fingers - if they cannot identify the finger from your instruction, touch each finger - it is almost impossible to wriggle the middle finger without the third joining in !
6. Roll a marble between thumb and each finger in turn
7. 
Using thumb and first finger,
remove and replace pegs from a ruler - repeat with thumb and each finger
in turn.
1. Place both hands on the table, palms down. Turn the left hand over. Now switch over, left hand turning palm down, right hand palm up. Start slowly and gradually increase speed and rhythm.
2. Place both hands on the table. Clench left fist, right hand outstretched - swap hands. Start slowly and build up speed and rhythm
3. Hold a tennis ball in one hand and move each finger away from the ball, one at a time .
Swap hands.
4. Clapping games - work with adult or another child. Clap hands together and then clap your partners hands. Rhythm and sequence can be made more complex and the children can develop their own patterns.