TOOLS TO GROW AT HOME: What to Know & How to Develop Fine Motor Skills

02.21.2015

Fine motor skills involve the use of the fingers, hands, and arms for reaching, grasping, and manipulating objects. Fine motor skills are used when a child plays, engages in many leisure activities, performs daily self help tasks, or participates at school as a student. Just like other areas of development, a child’s ability to successfully use his or her hands is influenced by active experiences. Due to this, in many cases parents and caregivers may minimize or eliminate future difficulties with their child’s fine motor skills by involving their child in activities that are meaningful and fun!

Staying true to our mission to provide our members with valuable tools to help with the most important job there is … helping children grow; we are pleased to expand our Tools to Grow At Home Informational Resources.

The Tools to Grow At Home series offers a range of products developed to facilitate the partnership between professionals and parents/caregivers. These tools are designed for use within the context of the child’s family and home setting. The resources will help support consultation and collaboration with parents and other caregivers so as to promote developmental, social, and educational gains. These resources will also allow for generalization of skills from Occupational Therapy services received at a school, out-patient, or clinic setting into the home environment. These resources are also very useful to those therapists providing in-home services; the handouts provide information on relevant activities for the parent and child to share that can extend the benefits of direct intervention.

The What to Know & How to Develop Fine Motor Skills Informational Resources targets several important areas of fine motor development. Use these tools to help educate others on how to help the children in their life improve their function in the following areas:

1. Arches of the Hand

2. Bilateral Hand Use: Using Both Hands Together - This FREE 2 PAGE High Quality PDF includes over 20 Activity ideas for parents and caregivers to enjoy with their child to promote Bilateral Hand Use.

3. Finger Isolation

4. Hand & Finger Strength

5. Upper Body & Arm Strength

6. Pronation/Supination: Forearm Rotation

Each of these informational resources has a “What Parents/Caregivers Need to Know” section that offer educational highlights regarding the significance of deficits or weaknesses in each fine motor area. So as promote development in each fine motor area, the “Try This!” section details family friendly activity ideas for parents and caregivers to enjoy with their child. The Occupational Therapist may customize this area by checking specific strategies that would benefit your child.

Last but not least, this resource includes a Parent/Caregiver Letter that introduces the parent to the home strategies and their benefits. It is important to emphasize that these activities are meant to be implemented in a FUN and playful atmosphere.

You can find our Tools to Grow at Home: What to Know & How to Develop Fine Motor Skills here.

PICK A TOOL FROM OUR TREE OF RESOURCES TO HELP WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB THERE IS…HELPING CHILDREN GROW!

Tools to Grow at Home - Resources for Parents and Caregivers