Pincer grip - resource links

[Ruthierhyme]

These are a couple of informative resources for awareness of pincer grasp skills:

2. PINCER GRIP

Pincer grip is the ability to grasp small objects with thumb and forefinger.

It is an important part of the child’s fine motor development, and necessary for holding and manipulating a pencil.

• Encourage the child to pick up small objects (toys, sweets etc.) with their thumb and first finger rather than her whole hand, or thumb and middle finger.

• Encourage the child to form these fingers into a ‘beak’ and pretend they
are a bird picking up seed to encourage and promote the idea of tucking
her other fingers away.

• Clothes pegs opened with the thumb and index finger help to strengthen
pincer grip e.g. pegging out paintings to dry.

• Making play dough into small shapes, pinching a play dough sausage with
thumb and first finger and flattening play dough balls into pancakes.

• Pick small items e.g. buttons beads out of play dough with the thumb and index finger.

• Pop popping plastic with index finger and thumb.

• While doing pincer grip activities place a small object (e.g. pencil grip /
piece of play dough/ a rubber) in the child’s palm to be held in place by the middle, index and little finger. This will help with pincer isolation i.e. only using thumb and first finger.

Source:Page 10 of Northumberland Care trust.nhs.uk Occupational therapy pdf:
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: Advice for first schools regarding handwriting, scissor, ruler, dressing skills and attention.


And a very nice hand exercise, activity pdf from Nuffield's Orthopaedic Centre - Activies for motor skills

[jph]

This is a really useful resource!