Arm, Wrist, and Finger Coordination

 

During the preschool years, the children are developing the muscles needed for writing.  Developing the muscles needed for writing start way before we ever give a child a pencil and ask him to write.  Control of arm and hand movements develops from the shoulder out to the fingers and from large inaccurate movements to refined movement for specialized skills such as coloring or using a fork and knife. As drawing and writing skills develop, primary movement changes from the shoulder, to the elbow, to the wrist, to the finger joints and finally to the joints of the thumb, index, and middle finger as the last two fingers (ring and pinkie) help to stabilize the hand.    In order the develop more refined cutting and drawing/writing skills we need to develop the stability, strength, and the isolated movement needed for these skills. Try these activities to strengthen various muscles

 

Elbow

• Encourage play on the floor where the child has to bear weight & shift weight on one or both hands.
• Large scribbling with crayon over textured surface
• Stirring brownie or cookie batter
• Hitting a balloon on a string hung at chest level

 

Forearm movement

Encourage turning palm up while elbow is stable

• turning over cards over such as when playing  the Memory Game
• pouring water from one container to another from cup to cup in the bath
• place stickers or draw face on the palm, which requires the child to turn the hand over to see the picture.
• turn palm up in order to receive small item placed in palm (coins, lotion or soap)
• play dough activities

 

Wrist

• Encourage crawling activities
• Writing on chalkboard or large paper above eye level
• Using stamps & ink pad positioned vertically such as on an easel or paper taped to the wall.
• Color while lying on belly with weight on forearm
• Play dough activities

 

Finger control and movement

• Pick up small objects between tips of the thumb and index finger, one at a time and place in a container
• Present small object to the fingers on the thumb side of the hand
• Open zip lock bag with the “zipper foot”
• Turn pages in a book
• Finger plays
• Play dough activities

 

 

Have Fun

 

Beth