Telehealth Occupational Therapy: Hand and Finger Movements

Finger rhymes, hand actions, hand clapping, body percussion, mime ....

Occupational therapists love to encourage children of all ages to get their bodies and in particular their hands and fingers moving.  Without realizing it, children can work on a range of skills  in a fun natural way.   

Some of the benefits include:

• body awareness and visual spatial awareness  - proprioceptive feedback to the muscles, skins and joints, position in space, left/right awareness, bilateral coordination , eye/hand coordination

How far away is my arm in relation to me?
How far are other people?
How far can my fingers move?
What direction can they move?
Can my left side move independently to my right?
Can they move simultaneously?
Can may left arm and leg move together?
Can my left arm and right leg move together?
Can I move my arm across my body?
Can I fix my eyes on the body parts moving? 
Can I work out all these movements with my eyes closed?  

• motor planning  - connecting the brain with the body in what the body does, the speed, the sequence, the coordination

Can I order get my body organized to perform certain steps and sequences?
Can I coordinate them with a verbal instruction or song? 
Can I do this by copying someone else? 
Can I keep up with a group?

• sequencing and memory - linked to motor planning it considers how steps are ordered and remembered 

Can I do the steps in the order that I'm supposed to?
Can I remember the sequence on my own?
Can I remember after the modelling has stopped, the next day or the next week? 
Do I need verbal and visual prompts to help me remember? Do I need someone to physically help me to organize my body? 

• fine motor movements - Isolated or coordinated movements, the development

Can fingers move individually or together?
Can some fingers be hidden away?
Can I develop the arches of my hand?
Can my thumb demonstrate opposition?
Can I move move fingers without looking at them? 
​

These ideas can be carried out at home, in the classroom, direct OT sessions and via Telehealth Occupational Therapy.  (You can find more about Telehealth OT HERE)

1. Finger Rhymes and Songs. I loved singing to my kids when they were babies, toddlers and preschoolers.  I was accused of being a "walking musical" as I would randomly break into song. I know that this doesn't come naturally to a lot of new parents and you don't have to be a great singer but I do think it is extremely important. Finger rhymes and songs especially in the early years... in addition to all the things I've mentioned above... can help with attachment and connection between parent and child, language development,  cognitive concepts (such as learning numbers, shapes and letters). 

For Telehealth OT, you can sing and model the actions for your child. You could also play a song via a platform like Spotify for you both to sing and do the actions.  I have collated some of my favourites for you to play on your own devices or to share with your families.  Let me know if you want me to demonstrate some of these rhymes and songs! 

Watch --->Finger Play Rhymes and Songs You-Tube Video
Read and Print---> 42 favourite  Finger Play Rhymes and Songs. 
Spotify Playlist ---> YKOT Spotify Action Songs
Preschool Rhyme Bundle --->YKOT shop Preschool Rhyme Printable Bundle.
​
Hand and body movements to song are not restricted to little kids.  Older kids may want to make up their own dance or movements to music or use their bodies to make music.   There are lots of great You-tube videos that encourage movement.  Read more ---> Brain Breaks for Kids. 

​2. Heavy Work for Little Fingers. This was a series of finger movements that I collated a few years ago to help prepare fingers for fine motor activities or handwriting.  These  movements include:

• Fingers Push
• Thumb Wars
• Finger Tip Touch
• Pinch and Pull
• Piano Press
• Dancing Fingers

For Telehealth OT, you could model these actions for your child to copy.  You could also share the pdf on a screenshare or email it to your families to print out. 

Watch ---> Heavy Work for Little Finger You-tube Video.
Read more --->Heavy Work for Little Fingers.
Printable Version ---> YKOT Shop Heavy Work for Little Fingers Printable.
 
3.  Spin the Wheel: This wheel was created at Wheel Decide and I have entered a series of body movements.   My focus is on crossing the midline and I can share this via my "screen share" function on my Telehealth Platform (Coviu). I spin the wheel for the child on my screen, I read the action and the child can perform the action.  Sometimes I need to model the action or the parent/caregiver may also assist the child.  For older children, I incorporate two or three movements in a sequence to remember and perform. 

Note: if you are reading this in my newsletter, you will need to go to my website to access the wheel (click on the little wheel decide logo on the bottom right and this will take you to seeing the wheel on it's own page) . 

​You may prefer not to use the wheel but perform a series of "Simon Says" movements or your own motor patterns to copy.  Children will love to also create motor patterns for you to copy. 

Watch --->Spin The Wheel You-Tube Video.

4. Hand Clapping Challenge.  This hand clapping challenge that has been seen on Tik Tok and other social media  channels.  It is a series of hand actions which will appeal to older children and has been done in groups.  I have found a You-tube video (not mine) which goes through the steps slowly---> Hand Clapping Challenge Instructions.

During Telehealth OT, I share the you-tube video on my screen and we watch the steps together.  I often need pause the video and give my own even slower version of the steps for my OT child to copy.  It is a really great way to work on motor planning, bilateral coordination and memory in particular!

5. Finger Aerobics.  
I created this simple page of coloured dots that I'm using for "finger aerobics".  You can make one yourself or download my  version for free ---->FREE Finger Aerobics Printable.

I have used this to encourage wrist positioning (laying flat on the table), pointing with the index finger whilst tucking away the other fingers, crossing the midline, visual memory and various finger movements. It requires good visual attention and you can adapt this to be as hard or as easy as you would like. 

This printable page could also be used with small manipulatives like coins, pom poms, playdough, buttons!  You can ask your child to place them on certain colours, move them in groups. keep a few in their hand whilst they place one down at a time. 

Watch ---> Finger Aerobics You Tube Video
​

I hope you try some of these ideas! Let me know if you do and don't forget to watch the you-tube videos to watch me put these in action!

Let me know what your favourite hand and finger games! 

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 website and blog  Your Kids OT and Sensory Diet Activity Guidebook (ebook).  

Cindy is a member 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 products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.

Your Kids OT blog - https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog
Your Kids OT shop- https://www.yourkidsot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
Your Kids OT Teachers Pay Teachers -  www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Your-Kids-Ot
Your Kids OT Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot/
Your Kids OT Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yourkidsot
Your Kids OT Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/yourkidsot
Your Kids OT Amazon store - https://www.amazon.com/shop/yourkidsot

You may also like:

---