Fine Motor: Activities for Hand Strength, Endurance, and a Stable Thumb

These instructions for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) patients describe activities that can improve hand strength and stability.

Important information:

This list of activities will help your child increase hand strength and thumb stability as well as their endurance, which means holding something for a longer length of time. Practicing a few of these activities each day will improve your child's handwriting.

For activities that involve holding or pinching an object, make sure the thumb is across from the fingertips, instead of the knuckles, so that a round C-shape is formed. This position is important to keep the thumb stable and grasp the pencil well.

Patient instructions:

Activities with clay and putty

• Squeeze clay, putty, or a soft ball in the palm of the hand.

• Move clay or putty between the fingers.

• Hide small objects within the clay for the child to find.

• Roll the clay into small pea-size balls using the fingers of just one hand. Use these balls to make designs or play target games.

• Pinch the clay to make a spiny snake.

• Pinch and pull putty to make spaghetti strings.

• Show your child how to make putty pop. Wrap a flat piece of putty around the thumb, carefully pull thumb out and pinch closed the open ends. Squeeze the bulb-shaped form and it will make a popping noise.

Activities with coins and balls

• Flip a coin or other flat item over and over between the fingertips. Do this activity with the palm of the hand facing up towards the ceiling. As this movement becomes easier, your child can do it while watching TV.

• Roll two balls around one another in the palm of the hand using the fingers of that hand only. The best size ball for this activity is one the size of a golf ball or ping-pong ball. Be sure the balls can slide past one another easily. Use heavier balls to increase strength.

• Roll a small rubber ball up the wall with just one hand.

• Make and play with a "mouth" ball. Start by cutting a slit into an old tennis ball with a knife. Place fingers at one end of the split and thumb at the other and then squeeze to open the mouth of the ball. Feed the ball and make it talk by squeezing it. Use the ball to say the letters during spelling activities.

Activities with clothespins, tongs and tweezers

• Write letters, numbers or symbols on clothespins and use them in matching games or spelling and math lessons.

• Hold tongs or tweezers as you would hold a pencil, where the hinged end sticks out between the thumb and index finger and use the tongs to pick up small objects. Use the tweezers to pick up straws to make letters and designs. Use colored toothpicks with numbers on them to play pick-up sticks and work on math skills.

Cooking activities

• Stir mixtures of different textures.

• Make dough from scratch.

• Open jars and containers.

• Twist the water out of sponges and towels after wiping counters or dishes.

Activities with a squirt bottle or water gun

• Have a water fight.

• Use for target games.

• Create pictures using colored water.

• Water the plants.

• Clean the windows, mirrors and table.

Paper activities

• Use pieces to make a collage, create a piñata or other sculpture.

• Roll small pieces into balls with the fingers of just one hand and create designs or use the balls for target games.

• Wrap pieces on the end of a pencil, dab in glue, and place on a piece of paper.

Use a hole puncher

• Make lacing cards.

• Create confetti for a party or to decorate a card or a present.

• Create confetti to fill a box and then hide items within it. Try to feel objects without seeing them.

Other Activities

• Make pictures by dripping colored water from eye droppers.

• Create sponge designs on a smooth upright surface after wetting sponges and squeezing out the excess water.

• Use colored glue to make pictures and designs.

• Tug-of-War: use a thick rope or a large towel twisted the long way, then try thin objects such as straws or coffee stirrers.

• Air hockey: use an empty dish detergent bottle or glue bottle and squeeze it so that it blows air and moves a pompom, ping pong ball or feather across a table.

• Play with an Etch-A-Sketch.

• Pop bubbles on sheets of bubble wrap.

• Snap fingers.

• Play a musical wind instrument: recorder, horn, flute or clarinet.

• Use a screwdriver and a hammer to help improve hand strength.

• Cut different papers and fabrics with scissors.

• Make long strands of beads and use the strands to create letters.

• Use rubber stamps that can be held with the thumb across from the index finger. Make pictures or cards. If you have alphabet stamps, use them to play Hangman or practice spelling words.

• Build with Lego or Bristle Blocks.

• Twist a large nut on top of a bolt and make of game of who can do it faster. Build something using pieces of wood or cardboard with predrilled holes for the nuts and bolts.

If you have any questions, please contact your therapist.

Reviewed on November 10, 2022, by Diana Lansinger, MOTR/L