Fun way to work on wrist extension and fine motor skills (fundamental skills for pencil control)!

A hooked wrist? 
Wrist off the table? 
A neutral hand, wrist and forearm? 

In order for fingers to be able to manipulate writing tools in a dynamic way, a child needs to have developed shoulder stability, forearm stability and...
wrist extension.

Wrist extension can sometimes be overlooked. 

Some people are super focused on pencil grasp and how the fingers are holding the pencil, that the wrist is not considered. Without a stable wrist and forearm, the fingers will have difficulty moving the pencil.  What tends to happen is that the fingers get "locked into position"  for stability and movement of the pencil comes from the wrist, elbow or shoulder. 

Some people are super "unfocused" ... ok, that's not a word... some people are not considering pencil grasp at all. They have swung the other way to say that pencil grasp is not important. 

If you have read any of my previous blog posts, you will know that I'm all about function but other considerations need to be taken into account too...
* Is your child just learning how to write ?  Are they developmentally ready to write?
* Is your child experiencing pain?
* Is your child experiencing fatigue?
* Is your child producing letter reversals or confusion with writing?
* Is your child complaining about writing and having difficulty keeping up with the class?
* Is your child slow? 
* Is your child's pencil pressure too hard or too light? 

There are many reasons to consider pencil grasp.  There are many reasons to look at the biomechanics of a child's writing and where pencil control is coming from. 

OK, so back to a fun way to work on wrist extension and fine motor skills! OTs love to use vertical surface to support wrist stability and extension.  Here is an activity that is quick and easy to set up, with so many benefits!

What you need:

• A ball and squigz (match the size of the ball to the size of the squigz).

What to do:

• Place the squigz on a vertical surface.
• Have your child move the ball up towards the squigz.  Try using the palm of the hand. Try using the fingers. 
• The child can stand, squat, kneel, half kneel, balance on a cushion or  sit. Try to keep the position so that they are not leaning to the left or right. 

** WATCH THIS IN ACTION ---> Your Kids OT IG

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A post shared by Cindy @ Your Kids OT ✏️□□□□ (@yourkidsot)

Variation:

• Place the squigz on a whiteboard. Place them apart on either side of where the child is standing. 
• Draw a path from the standing position to the squigz.  
• Have the child move the ball to the squigz without moving their feet.  

In addition to wrist extension and fine motor skills... this variation will also work on crossing the midline, motor planning as well as drawing. 

** WATCH THIS IN ACTION ---> Your Kids OT IG​​

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cindy @ Your Kids OT ✏️□□□□ (@yourkidsot)

For more information on handwriting and pencil grasp, check out the articles HERE.  For more information on fine motor skills, check out the articles HERE.

Give this activity a try!  What are some of your favourite vertical surface activities?  What other ways can you help to develop wrist stability and extension?
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Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. â€‹â€‹â€‹
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