Hand and finger workout

Help build your child’s hand and finger strength! The muscles are important for managing everyday objects – as well as for writing.  Here are five exercises to make your child’s hands and fingers stronger. You could do them together every day!

What do I need?

A soft ball or toy to squeeze

How do I do it?

Help your child learn these five exercises. Once they know them, they can do them by themselves.

1. Squeeze a fist. Open hand out flat. Repeat this 10 times.

2. Pull hands against each other. Hold for 10 slow counts.

3. Push ups from a flat surface with just your fingertips (not the whole body). Do this 10 times.

4. Touch each fingertip with your thumb, both hands at once 10 times.

5. Squeeze a soft ball or toy 5 times really quickly with one hand. Change over to the other hand.

No-one knows your child better than you.  So, choose and/or adapt ideas here to best suit you and your child. Remember it’s the talking and time spent together that matters most.