OT Toolbox: Amazon Finds To Help Improve Fine Motor Skills
As an occupational therapist, I have a variety of tools that I like to use with different students to improve their fine motor skills. These are items that would also be beneficial for students to use at home on their homework, or while writing and coloring for fun. Parents will often ask if there are any items that I recommend for them to use at home to improve their children’s fine motor skills and these are on my must have list!
Pencil Grips
If your child has difficulties with their grasp on a writing utensil, pencil grips can be an easy and effective way to improve writing skills. This one is my favorite because it incorporates the whole hand and the visual makes it easy for children to use.
Adapted Scissors
If your child’s hand is too small for standard children’s scissors if if they are having difficulty opening scissors, loop scissors are a great first pair of scissors for many kids. Here are the ones that I recommend.
As their scissor skills begin to progress, a great next step is to use spring loaded scissors. This pair has a moveable spring loaded piece so they can begin to practice cutting without the spring loaded component.
Egg Crayons
These are great first crayons for children because they are able to use a whole hand grasp to hold the crayon. With these, children can begin to scribble, color in shapes, and imitate pre writing strokes (vertical & horizontal lines and circles).
Large Writing Utensils
Larger pencils, crayons, markers, and colored pencils are easier for children to hold and are great for pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade students. Many of these tools also come in a triangular version that can help encourage a tripod grasp.
Toys
Along with writing, coloring, and cutting, there are a wide variety of toys that can help improve your child’s fine motor skills and these are some of my favorites:
For additional recommendations, feel free to contact your child’s therapist. If there are different tools that they are using with your child, carrying over the use these tools at home may be beneficial!
– Morgan Petroff, OTR