Handwriting interventions:
Common Interventions and accommodations to try before you refer to the OT:
Try some of the following activities every day:
- Slant board (use a large 3 ring binder)
- Try pencil grips
- Try graph paper
- Font boxes (from Ross' fonts)
- Write on a vertical surface
- Use writing rubric (http://www.teach-nology.com)
- Reduce work load
- Have written materials close to student
- Try using unlined paper- reduce the “calligraphy”
- Try the “Write Right” program (see home page)
- Use Assistive Technology (typing, smart pen, typing, Dragon dictation)
Try some of the following activities every day:
If you see...
Try these Shoulder Girdle activities: 1. color, draw or write on a vertical surface (i.e. chalk board, tape paper on a wall) 2. push-pull activities such as tug of war, parachute, etc 3. kneading dough or theraputty 4. wall push ups 5. aninmal walks 6. shredding by hand ( i.e. paper, boxes cardboard) 7. playground games-monkey bars, swing on swings, teeter totter 8. tossing a weighted ball, bean bag toss, Zoomball, twister, jump rope 9. playing games, puzzles, coloring, or reading on stomach 10. wheelbarrow walks 11. pushing heavy objects-chairs, boxes 12. crab walk relays 13. dribbling a basketball 14. chair pushups 15. stacking chairs onto table |
If you see...
Try pencil grips or these fine motor activities, or dexterity activities: 1. open/close safety pins 2. spin jacks or play jacks 3. crumple newspaper with one hand 4. cat’s cradle 5. flick small wads of paper with tips of fingers 6. shuffle cards and deal one at a time, rotate the cards 7. twist rubber band around palm or each finger and try to remove 8. button/unbutton tiny buttons 9. use tweezers to pick up small items 10. spin or flip coin 11. shoot marbles 12. write, trace, dot to dots, mazes 13. pick up coins, beans, buttons, try to collect in same hand 14. snap, drum fingers 15. sew by hand, string art |
Basic Fine Motor Interventions:
Hand strength (done every day)
squeeze a stress ball, crumple a sheet of paper into a ball, mold and squish playdough or putty, spray (desks, plants, the board) with a squirt bottle, get squueze toys (i.e. where eyes pop out), shuffle cards, staple or hole punch a paper, tear cardboard, wring out rags, carry grocery sacks full of heavy stuff, monkey bars, cut with scissor through thick material (playdough, cardstock, 2-3 sheets of paper), etc.
Cutting interventions:
use the following progression:
Hand strength (done every day)
squeeze a stress ball, crumple a sheet of paper into a ball, mold and squish playdough or putty, spray (desks, plants, the board) with a squirt bottle, get squueze toys (i.e. where eyes pop out), shuffle cards, staple or hole punch a paper, tear cardboard, wring out rags, carry grocery sacks full of heavy stuff, monkey bars, cut with scissor through thick material (playdough, cardstock, 2-3 sheets of paper), etc.
Cutting interventions:
use the following progression:
- 2 year old: hold scissors with fingers in correct holes
- 2 ½ year old: holds paper with non-dominant hand, snips
- 3 year old: cuts close to the line, cuts paper in two
- 4 year old: cuts line to cut out triangle
- 5 year old : cuts curves and circular shapes
- 6 year old: cuts cardboard and cloth
- 7 year old: cuts complex designs and pictures
For other intervention ideas, ask your friendly neighborhood OT
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