Kids Fine Motor Skills.rtf

7/23/2019 Kids Fine Motor Skills.rtf

1/31

Fine Motor Skills \ 1

Chapter3

Fine MotorSkillsGetting the visual attention of the child with an ASD so they

want to touch an object is a challenge.Use the concept of highcontrast!" #igh contrast $eans choosing toys that have a very

dark or a very light color.Agood co$bination of colors is black%

white,and red! Using toys that have this color co$bination is $orelikely to attract the attention of children with ASDs than toys that

have $ore subtle colors. &f a baby is at risk of developing anASD,he $ay not be interested in the toys presented to hi$! Asthe child is reluctant to e'plore the world with his hands it is

easy to see how delays in fine $otor skills start very young.Forthis reason% it is i$portant to


2/31

encourage the infant to use his hands.(he suggestions below

provide ideas for increasing hand use in the very young child!

At first the baby will swat at an object that is suspended

above hi$ but within his reach! (he baby will use his entire ar$

and his whole body $ay $ove in tande$ with his ar$ $ove$ent!

(he baby will $ost likely use both his ar$s at once. (he babywill eventually grasp the object% at first just as a refle'% and later

intentionally! As the baby gains so$e skill in holding an object% he

willbring it to a central view so he can see it! #e $ay even put it

in his $outh! #e also sees that if the object $oves, it $ay $ake a

sound! &f the baby enjoys this sound he will $ove or shake thetoy repeatedly to e'perience the sound he enjoys. So$e children

with ASDs are e'tre$ely sensitive to sound! (hey $ay prefer the

sound of one rattle toy over another. &t is i$portant to pay

attention to this.&f you notice that one sound results in a s$ile orvisual attention while the other results in crying or another

negative response,respect that tendency.(he necessary learningwill take place if a pleasing sound is used! &f no sound is

enjoyed% then eli$inate the rattles fro$ the toy bo' until the babyor child is able to feel $ore co$fortable with a variety of sounds.

(he ne't step the baby takes will be purposefully putting the

object into his $outh! As the baby begins to enjoy this activity,

he seeks it out! A series of $ove$ents that was once an accidental

episode of touching and grasping beco$es purposeful! )aying

attention to when the baby begins to look for the object that he

can hold and feel with his $outh provides an i$portant

opportunity to encourage learning.(he $ore success a baby or child de$onstrates by overco$ing

a challenge, the $ore he is willing to e'pend the effort to

acco$plish $ore and $ore. (his re$ains true across all ages in the

lifespan and all activities.)roviding objects that the child can reach

for is i$portant! (o encourage learning,do not place the objecttoo close or in the child*shand! +ather,place the desired objectjust far enough away so that he needs to e'ert a bit of effort to

grasp it! ,hen he has done this successfully, he will begin to

develop a sense of acco$plish$ent! Success is a great $otivator.&f the child does not naturally bring the object or toy to the

central view -$id.line/ then do it for hi$! For a baby*s eyes to

begin to work in a coordinated way% he needs to look at objects in

the front


3/31

and $iddle of his view. #old the toy of interest above his nose

about si' inches -10 c$/ fro$ his face and atte$pt to gain his

attention by $oving the toy so that sound or light reflections attract

his attention! )erhaps the toy has a face and eyes.+e$e$ber thattoys with high contrast colors are $ore interesting. Slowly $ove

the object up and down and side to side so thebaby follows it

with his eyes.Do this for only a few $inutes at a ti$e.(ry tokeep your words or sounds of encourage$ent to a $ini$u$ so as

not to overwhel$ the baby or child with too $uch infor$ation at

once.

(he first grip to develop is called a gross grasp!" (he entirehand is used! At first the child will use a gross or whole hand

grasp to eat a cookie or draw with a crayon! (he ne't step after

the whole hand grasp is a $ore refined grip.(his is the grip that is

co$$only referred to as a pincer grip!" &t is used to hold the tab

of a ipper,pick up a pea% or hold a pencil! 2nce the child isableto sit up by hi$self, his hand develop$ent can really advance.

Grasping and releasing is the first and $ost basic skill that develops.

#olding objects of various si1es and shapes assures this develop$entandprovides a solid foundation for the $ore refined skills to co$e.

2ften children with ASDs have delayed $anipulation skills!

Manipulation skills are i$portant for writing, eating, usingclothing fasteners,andparticipating in $any leisure activities.

(he following provides so$e fine $otor activities designed

to help children with ASDs develop fine $otor de'terity for tool

use. A few things are i$portant to re$e$ber, as with all

suggested activities. &f the proposed activity causes stress,stop it!Do not have the child engage in any activity tothepoint of fatigue.

Allow the child so$e success e'periences and continue with the

play as long as it is challenging and holds interest! &t is better to

stopwhile the child is de$onstrating a good techni3ue than allow

hi$ to work to the point where hisperfor$ance begins to decline.

FoundationskillsA$ong other things,preschool progra$s include $any hand orfine $otor activities. A typical preschool progra$ provides the

opportunity for children to engage in various songs with finger

$ove$ents% building blocks or interlocking blocks,bead stringing,

and the use of


4/31

various te'tures such as clay, sand% water, or shaving crea$! (he

child is introduced to various writing and e'pressive tools, suchas finger paint% brushes, pencils, crayons, and $arkers. #e is

encouraged to use tools such as scissors,hole punches, and tongs,along with eating and cooking utensils.

A preschooler $ay even have the opportunity to learn to take

care of pets, such as feeding fish with a pinch of food or usingha$$er and nails to build a bird house. At ti$es they $aye'plore sounds $ade by touching various $usical instru$ents in

certain ways with specific finger $ove$ents, or holding a guitar

pick or dru$ sticks.

4hildren with ASDs $ay not e'plore theseopportunities. (hey $ay not understand the verbal directionsprovided! (hey $ay also be unco$fortable with being close to

their class$ates, or too $uch infor$ation $aybe co$ing to the$

at once.4hildren with ASDs $ay have difficulty deciding what

infor$ation to pay attention to at any one ti$e. (hey $ay beworking on just feeling co$fortable in the roo$ when the teacher

and all the other students are done with circle ti$e and the $orning#ello" song and are on to finger painting or weeding the

classroo$ garden!

(he selection of activities below provides a structured way to

present these hand skill activities to the preschool child with an

ASD. (hey include the hand $ove$ents involved% the supplies

needed% and the way to present the instructions. &n general if the

activity is a craft project then an e'a$ple of a finished project is nice

to have,but certainly not necessary.4hildren with ASDs do well% ingeneral% when they can copy a $ove$ent or activity. So have fun%

get $essy, and re$e$ber,&t *stheprocess not the product5"

&t is i$portant to try to understand the point of view of the

child with an ASD.Although you $ay enjoy displaying a finished

product% the display $ay have a different $eaning for children

with ASDs. For the child% the e'perience of creating $ay be of

interest and the final $asterpiece of no interest at all! ,hen

working with a child with ASD% be aware of the environ$ent!

,hen we discuss co$$unity skills,we will go into detail aboutthe

environ$ent! For now, working on hand skills is sufficient! (he

television or radio should not be on and $ulti.tasking should be

avoided if at all possible.Spend 16 to76 $inutes focusing on the skill and pay attention to the child


5/31

and what he is doing at that $o$ent!


6/31

Thepinch

#ave you noticed how $any ti$es a day you $ove your thu$b

and inde' finger together8 9ou do this when you pick up a pen%

when you button a shirt% or when you pluck a tissue fro$ a bo'!

(his is one of the $ost universal and i$portant hand $ove$ents.(he pinch advances fro$ using all five fingers to using two.

&n general% you can help the child to develop this skill by

providing hi$ with objects to pick up in a series fro$ larger to

s$aller. (he larger ite$s $ay be as large asatable.top tennisball

-ping pongball/% or a one.inch -7!0 c$/ block% and the s$all objects$aybe as tiny as a pea or even s$aller. &f you are providing tiny

things to pick up,and the child has a tendency to put things intohis $outh% $ake sure that the s$all ite$s are edible,or at the veryleast% not to'ic.

Activities that have a bit of resistance work well to develop

the s$all $uscles of the hand! (hese $uscles are i$portant in

the develop$ent of finger de'terity! A good activity to develop

hand and pinch $uscle strength is $aking pictures with rubberbands. 2n a grid of nails, stretch the bands over the nails tocreate a picture. (he finished result is not i$portant! (he

acco$plish$ent of stretching the bands fro$ one nail to the other

is very satisfying. (he child $ay be $aking a picture that is

beautiful to hi$ and not confor$ to any idea of art that you are

fa$iliar with! Allow the child his free e'pression while working

with his hands. A weaving loo$ is also a good choice for using

hand $uscles in co$bination with the pinch! #ere are so$e otherideas that are fun and can be done with co$$on $aterials.

The FuzzyPiCTuRe

Supplies needed for this activity include thefollowing:

colored constructionpaper wa' paper

white school glue

te$perapaint -two or three colors/

cotton balls -or a large piece of cotton/;natural fibers


7/31

arepreferableto synthetics such aspolyester for co$fort!


8/31

1! 4hoose a colored sheet of

?! )ick up one cotton ball fro$ the bag, and hold itbetween the thu$b and inde' finger of each hand! )ull the

cotton ball apart! &f the child is at the stage of using $ore

fingers than only the thu$b and inde' finger for his

pinch% this is alright! As he gains skill% a $ore refinedpinch

will develop.

>! ,hen the cotton ball is stretched or pulled apart as

desired% dip it in the white glue and place it on a

contrasting colored piece of construction paper. 4ontinueto $ake a design with the various shapes of cotton balls.

0! ,hen the design is co$plete, take another cotton ball%

and hold it between the thu$b and inde' finger.Dip the

cotton ball into the s$all pool of desired color on wa'paper and paint" the cotton ball that has been glued in

place. (his painting can be achieved by actual brushingwith the cotton ball or si$ple dabbing. (he cotton ballwith paint $ay alsobe used as a paintbrush to add color

to the paper directly. Use a different cotton ball for each

color@ so$e of the fu11y shapes $aybe left white.

! ,ait for these creations to dry and hang the$ up for all

to see.(hisis an e'cellent activity for children with ASDsand fun for any child! (his teaches the children a

se3uence, the e'perience of various te'tures,and providesan opportunity for the$ to create so$ething that $ay

proudly be displayed!

(he use of high contrast colors will keep children with ASDs interested

longer. Avoid light and subtle contrast colors such as pastels or

shades of one pri$ary color -pri$ary colors are red% blue, andyellow/!

LeTs !"ke#inneR

Bven very young children can participate in preparing food for

the fa$ily or for their own snack! #ere is one idea that everyone


9/31

will enjoy.


10/31

&ngredients you will need:

pi11a dough -this is easy to find already prepared at the

$arket/

non.stick cookie sheet

dry seasonings: salt% garlic powder, oregano, pepper,sugar% and cinna$on;in s$all bowls. Use the flavors that

the child especially enjoys.

&nstructions:

1! )inch a s$all a$ount of the doughbetween your thu$band inde' finger.

7! Dip the dough into the seasoning of choice.

?! Drop the balls onto the cookie sheet% about one inch

-7!0 c$/ apart!

>! Cake according to directions on the dough package.

(he child will be very happy that he was able to participate inpreparingpart of dinner or a snack! (he shapes created will be

uneven and that is fine. &f the child e'presses a need to have the

dough shapes even and round% then feel free to have hi$ roll the

dough he has pinched into aball! 2ther pinch ideas in the kitchen

include shelling peas,tearing lettuce,orpeeling citrus fruit!

!"C"R$ni $R %e"n

F"Ce

4hildren of all ages enjoy $aking pictures using dry food

ingredients.(he supplies for this are si$ple:paper,white glue,and

beans or pasta! ust $ake sure that the paper and the beans or

pasta are different colors. (he goal here is to $ake sure that the

colors contrast! #ave the child pick up one s$all bean at a ti$e,

and glue it in place.4hildren with ASDs will be successful if they have an outline

to follow. ,ith direction fro$ the child% draw shapes or a face.Bven a straight orcurvedline works well for this craft! &f the child is

working on drawing straight lines or crossed lines, using thesa$e lines will help to reinforce thatlearning.#ave the child gluethe beans along the lines you have drawn for this activity. (his

provides the child with a co$fortable structured activity. As he


11/31

works with gluing along his


12/31

pattern% he is able to see how far he has progressed and how far he

has to go.&f you think that a whole face or large or co$ple' shapewill be overwhel$ing, si$ply start with a circle. 9ou can evenwork on this in stages.For e'a$ple, if you are creating a face or a

whole person% just work on one part at a ti$e, and co$e back to

theproject another day.&t is i$portant that the child stays engaged and interested in

the project! ,hen you notice that he is losing interest% let the child

know that you areaware of this,and begin your cleanup routine.#aving the child participate in a cleanup routine, even if he is not

able to do a thorough job, is i$portant! As the child beco$esaccusto$ed to cleaning up after all activities he is learning an

i$portant life skill!

"R$un# The h$use "n#&"R#en

All plants at one ti$e or another re3uire pinching off of dead

leaves or blosso$s.Eo $atter the environ$ent you live in% there

are always weeds to be pulled5 #aving the child help with thischore teaches hi$ a great skill and allows hi$ to participate in

a needed task! Show the child which plant parts need to be

pinched off! Use si$ple e'planations such as,the brown ones" orthe dry ones!" As always, de$onstrate what you want done first

and then allow the child to copy you! &t is a good idea to keep

hi$ away fro$ your prie roses,just in case a $istake is $ade.

T$$Luse

S$all tongs or chopsticks can be fastened together to for$ child.

si1e tongs. (hese $ay be used as a fun way to eat s$all bits of

food! (he s3ueeing $otion of the tongs strengthens the s$all

$uscles of the hand! (hese$usclesare i$portant for s$all refined

tasks.

'ristposition

)aying attention to the child*s wrist position when using his

hands is i$portant! A strong wrist position will prevent fatigue as

the child gets older and learns to write.(he proper writing position

is with the pinky side of the hand down on the paper and the wrist


13/31

bent slightly back! (he writing tool is to be held co$fortably in

the thu$b web space at appro'i$ately a >0.degree angle to the

paper. (he thu$b and inde' finger pinch" the pencil! ,henwriting with a pencil on


14/31

paper, only s$all finger $ove$ents are needed to create lettersand nu$bers. (he weaker the hand% the $ore $ove$ent will be

seen in the entire ar$! Avery weak child $ay even use his shoulder

and hold his elbow up at an awkward angle when writing, orwrite with his wrist bent forward!

e"seL

#aving an easel set up for the child to write% draw, paint% or$ake spongy paintings encourages the slight bend backwards

that is i$portant to encourage the strength and proper handposition needed later on when he begins to write.(he child willbe standing when he uses the easel! &f an easel is not available,

paper $ay be fastened to the wall to provide the child with an

upright position for writing or drawing. Make sure the paper isdirectly in front of the child at shoulder height so that he can write

or with his ar$ bent only slightly. +eaching too high $ay be

unco$fortable and create very tired ar$s while not teachingproper

wrist positioning for writing.

L"R&e %in#eR "n# se"Te#"CTi(iTies

Secure writing or drawing paper to the thick closed side of a

three ring binder with a large dia$eter.Depending on the age and

sie of the child% use abinder that is one to three inches -7!0 to !0

c$/ wide. )lace the binder on the table with the opening towards

the child -thebinder is on the table so that it opens top to botto$%rather than side to side/! Secure paper to the outside of the

binder with tape. (his provides a slanted surface that encouragesthe proper wrist position for writing. Allow the child to

e'peri$ent with different writing positions. #e $ay write or

draw.4opy the $arks he $akesas a way to show hi$ that he isco$$unicating with you! Eotice if his wrist position looks

co$fortable. (he wrist should be tipped with a slight backwards

bend! 9ou $ay notice that the child is very co$fortable in this

position and $ore willing to write this way. &f this is the case,co$$ercially available slant boards are available specifically for

this use.


15/31

!ake itnoticea%le

#igh visual contrast is i$portant for children with ASDs.&t $aybe said that they need a lot of infor$ation to get their attention!

&f you are using white paper, then use black or dark pri$arycolors for writing or drawing. &f the child prefers to write ordraw on colored paper, $ake sure that he has distinctive andcontrasting colors for his creations.

Ri&ht or le)t

handed*Cy the age of three it is easy to tell if a child is right or left handed!

#e will be reaching for his favorite food ite$s or toys with the

preferred hand! 2ften he will reach across the center of his

body with his preferred hand to pick up what he wants.(hisreaching across the body is called crossing the$id.line!"

&f the child is not reaching across his body, but reaches forthings on the right side with his right hand% and the left side with

his left hand% this does not $ean he is a$bide'trous. More thanlikely, he has not yet fully established a right or left hand

do$inance. Bstablishing a do$inant hand is an i$portant

$ilestone.#aving a do$inant hand supports learning to read and

write and overall coordination! (he establish$ent of a do$inant

hand is a sign of growth and develop$ent!

&f you notice that the child is not reaching across the center

of his body for ite$s or to point at things% you can help with his

develop$ent! +eaching across the center of the body is

i$portant because it helps the left and right sides of the brain

co$$unicate with each other.(his helps the child know what hiswhole body is doing and for hi$ to feel $ore balanced!

(he ti$e to encourage the child to establish a do$inant hand

is when he is showing so$e signs of having a preference,butis so$ewhat resistant to using the preferred hand consistently. &f

you think the child is right or left handed and so$eti$es uses theother hand to reach for objects so that he does not have to

e'pend the e'tra effort to reach across the center of hisbody, try

these activities.(he $ore the child reaches across the center of his

body while doing everyday activities, the $ore his brain is

developing. (his is by no $eans a return to the ti$e when left.handed children were forced to use their right hands. &t is just a


16/31

way to help the child along the way


17/31

to $aturity whether he is right or left handed! #ere are so$e

ideas you and the child $ay enjoy.

F"($RiTe F$$#FesT

,hether it is chicken nuggets, cheerios, or grapes, $ost children

have a favorite finger food! #ave the child sit at the table facing

forward! )lace a plate directly in front of hi$ with his favorite

finger food in a line or a circle around the plate.(he child willnaturally reach for the food and begin to eat! Gently hold the

non.do$inant" hand as you casually and 3uietly talk with the

child% and encourage hi$ to enjoy his snack! 2r you can re$ain

silent and just enjoy each other*s co$pany.&f you do not feel right about holding his hand% you can give

hi$ a favorite little truck or car to hold on to with the non.

do$inant hand! 9ou will observe the child reaching to the

opposite side of the plate for the food ite$ he desires.Eotice if

the child is turning his body as he reaches. &f he is turning his

body, this $eans he is resistant to crossing the $id.line. Si$plyreposition hi$ so that he is sitting in a straight direction! Use the

positioning corrections and non.do$inant hand distractions for no

$ore than five $inutes the firstday.eep at it a few ti$es a day as

a natural part of snack or $ealti$es. (his skill will develop over

ti$e with a little help and encourage$ent!

PuzzLe

Ti!e

igsaw pules are a fa$ily favorite, and they help develop$any skills! (his activity is helpful whether the pule contains

five or

066 pieces. )ules are a great way to develop visual andposition capacities and encourage hand do$inance.(hey are also a

great way to foster sociali1ation and develop a concrete and

lasting $odel of hard work! (o encourage crossing the $id.line

while working on a pule,deter$ine a top and botto$ and theright and left sides of the picture! As the child works on the

pule, encourage hi$ to stay in one place. #e $ay choose towork on one side of the pule or the other.#e $ay even enjoyworking on the pule with thepicture upside down!

(he i$portant point is that once he has decided his position


18/31

for the current pule session% he will stay in that spot! (he child

$ay


19/31

not walk around the table to fit his found piece.+eaching acrossor to the other side encourages crossing the $id.line.Again% as with

any e'ercise,start slowly and build up.Bncourage the child to stayin his spot" for one or two $inutes at first! After this ti$e is

over,if the child wishes, he $ay $ove around the table to fit thepulepieces in place.

(he last thing we want is for the child to beco$e frustrated

with such a fun pasti$e. Frustration will turn a joyful activity into

one to be avoided! now the child*s signs of frustration% and stop

the challenge before he beco$es resistant to pule building. &f

the child beco$es frustrated with not being allowed to $ove fro$his spot%" allow a few pule sessions to happen without attention

to crossing the $id.line.(hen% try again!

Re"#in&Ti!e

+eading is one of the favorite activities of parents and children of

all ages. &t provides a great opportunity every day to encourage

crossing the $id.line with fingers and eyes. #ere is a si$pleactivity to do every ti$e you read with the child! #old the

inde' finger of his do$inant hand! #old the child*sfinger for as

long as he will allow. Move his finger fro$ left to right as you

read along.#old his finger while you point to parts of the picture

in allareas of the page.Make sure you point out parts that are onall sides and top and botto$! As the child understands directions,

ask hi$ to point to ite$s that are in all areas.

,hen the child actively participates, great learning will takeplace.After you have $oved the child*sfinger,observing differentwords or parts of the picture, give hi$ a turn! See if the childwill $ove his finger across the page, independently. =earning and

develop$ent that sticks with the child happens when he is active in

the e'perience $ore than if he is passive.

%"ThTi!e

(i$e in the bath tub provides a great opportunity for learning

and developing skills.Apply a few handfuls of shaving crea$ to the

wall! Spread it within reach of the child! Make a rectangular shape

with the crea$ so that whena finger is $oved through it% the shape

is obvious.


20/31

Allow the child just to play so he can see and feel how he can

$ake $arks with one finger drawn through the shaving crea$!

After the child has touched the crea$% and understands how to $ake

$arks,the teaching can begin!Si$ply draw a large H!" Bncourage

the child to copy this shape. After he is able to copy the H"de$onstrate a figure of eight shape. (his is si$ply the nu$ber

eight on its side.

Fi&uRe $F ei&hT+ R"Ce TR"Ck T$$R&"niz"Ti$n

(he classic race car track is a figure of eight! (he race car $ovesacross an H" in the $iddle of the track% going up and down along

oblong ellipse shapes on either side. Usually the child uses a race

track on the floor.#e follows the car and if he canbe encouraged

to use one hand% perhaps by holding another car in the other hand%

he is getting great e'ercise and crossing the $id.line.(he $ore his eyes and hands work together to cross the $id.

line of his visual field and his body,the $ore organied his brain

will beco$e. (his si$ply $eans that infor$ation fro$ theenviron$ent will be $ore efficiently understood! &f a race track is

not available, any path that creates the shape of the eight will

work!

'"Lkin& in " Fi&uRe $Fei&hT

(he figure of eight shape is wonderful in a very s$all space,

either with the fingertips in the bath or with the whole body.(his walk $aybe done indoors or out! ,hen indoors,all you will

need are two objects such as s$all pillows or stuffed toys.)lace the objects on the floor about three feet -a $eter/ apart!

Ceginning in the center between the two objects, walk up and to

the left% then around the top of the pillow on the left! 4ontinue

walking around the pillow until you get to the center.2nce youreach the center, cross over and begin towalk around the top of

the pillow on the right side.4ontinue walking around the pillows,

$aking sure that you cross in the center, avoiding $aking two

circles ne't to each other.&f the child will not follow you% perhapsyou can steer hi$ gently with your hands on his hips.&f steering is

not an option% carrying the child works as well!

&f the child is carried as you walk around in the figure of


21/31

eight for$ation% he will get the sensation of crossing the $id.line,

and his


22/31

eyes will have the opportunity to practice visual tracking in this

way.,hen the child is able to follow an adult who is walking in the

figure of eight for$ation% there are $any ways to $ake this

e'ercise $ore interesting. #ave the child $arch as he walksaround% and declare left5"% right5" as he goes along. (hisreinforces the identity of either side of the body. (o provide even

$ore infor$ation% have the child tap each knee as it rises during

$arching.Slow and rhyth$ic $ove$ents allow the child*s brain to pay

attention to the new infor$ation! Slow and controlled $ove$ents

are $uch $ore of a challenge than 3uick $ove$ents that do notneed thought as they are perfor$ed! &t is better to do an activity

correctly for a shorter period of ti$e than incorrectly for $ore

ti$e.,hen playing outside,walking in a figure of eight pattern can

be donebetween two trees or large rocks.

Pro&ressin& hand skills andtool useGone are the days when kindergarten was all about free play,when ti$e was spent in i$aginary play in the house" and in the

block area% with so$e ti$e set aside for finger painting and

snacks. (hese days children are e'pected to enter kindergarten

with so$e school skills!" (hese fine $otor skills include writing

their na$es, the letters of the alphabet% and nu$bers. Cy the end

of kindergarten% children are e'pected to write si$ple sentences, ona line, with all the letters appro'i$ately the sa$e sie. (his

presents a special set of challenges for children with ASDs. (hey

$ay not have developed the fine $otor skills to hold the pencil

correctly or to be able to pay attention to the lines on the writing

paper.Most if not all instruction in a typical classroo$ is provided

verbally. (he teacher tells the children what to do, and theyare e'pected to follow directions!" For $any children on the

Autis$ Spectru$ the use of verbal directions is a challenge.

4hildren with ASDs $ay do $uch better when following a set of

visual directions.(his $eans that the teacher will need to de$onstrate each step

of a project before e'pecting the child to follow suit! (eachers $ay

also have a set of diagra$s orpictures of theproject for each activity


23/31

of the day.(hese si$ple acco$$odations $ay $ake the difference

between success and failure in the classroo$ for children with

ASDs.


24/31

Fine $otor e'pectations beco$e increasingly $ore difficult

as the child increases his participation in school! Activities often

include $ultiple steps and tool use.Celow are $ore interesting and

engaging activities that will provide school.like" e'periences so

that when these are presented in class, the child will have so$e

fa$iliarity with these activities as well as a level of skill!

scissors

Using scissors is a very i$portant task as the child beco$es $ore

involved in school! Using a thu$bs up" position is the first stepto proper scissor use. (he basic concept of opening and closing

the scissors needs to be understoodbefore successful paper cutting

occurs.(here are $any types of adaptive scissors. So$e provide

an auto$atic opening se3uence, so that the child si$ply s3ueees

the scissors closed to $ake the cut% andprogresses along the line.So$e other scissor adaptations have an e'tra set of holes,so that an

assisting adult $ay do the actual work of opening and closingthe scissors,while the child*shand si$plygoes along for the ride.

2ne i$portant ele$ent of scissor use is the idea of a do$inant

hand and a non.do$inant -helper/ hand! (he hand not using the

scissors is an i$portant helper for this skill! (he child should be

encouraged to hold the card or paper he is snipping with his

helper" hand to keep it steady. As the child gains skill with his

scissor skills, the helper" hand turns the paper so that the hand

cutting with the scissors can $aintain the forward and thu$bs up

position! (he se3uence of cutting skill develop$ent is as follows:

1! Snip the edges of a stiffpaper or card!

7! Starting on the edge of a card% snip along a thick straight

line that needs two or three snips.

?! Starting on the edge of a card% snip along a curved line,

then a line with two or three curves, and a line withedges like sharks* teeth!

>! 4ut out a triangle, s3uare,and a circle.

For a child with ASD,$ake sure that the lines to be cut out are a

dark contrast to the paper he is cutting.


25/31

4utting a variety of different papers such as thick file folders

or thin binder paper also increases skill!

CuT "n#P"sTe

4utting and pasting activities de$onstrate an understanding of the

$aterial being presented! Many ti$es the pieces being cut out

are fro$ the sa$e paper upon which the cut pieces are to be

placed! For the child with ASD, this $ay not provide enough

contrast for hi$ to see the difference between thepiecehe has cut

out and the target spot for the pasting.A useful acco$$odation is to provide papers of contrasting

colors. ,ith a dark color, outlining the shapes or words to becut out also provides sufficient contrast! (hese acco$$odations

provide the child with a higher chance of success as he co$pletes

the re3uired activity.A fun activity to do at ho$e or at school is to

$ake a collage.(his will give children with ASDs a chance to learn

and develop an i$portant skill while enjoying their special interest!

#ere are so$e guidelines to follow:

1! =ay out a piece of dark paper for the background of the

collage.

7! )rovide a few $againes that have pictures of the child*s

special interest -e.g.cars or trains/!

?! #ave the child point to a desired picture to be cut out!

>! Draw a thick black shape around the picture -the shapewillbe deter$inedby the shape of the picture/!

0! &f the child has the skill% encourage hi$ to circle or draw

any shape around thepictures of interest!

! #ave the child cut out thepictures circled!

! Allow the child to organi1e the cut pictures however he

likes onto the dark paper.

fro$ a glue stick onto the cut pictures andplace the$ one at

a ti$e onto thebackgroundpiece.


26/31

I! ,hen the child decides the picture is finished% display his

work for all to see.

Colorin& in shapes andspaces

Stay inside the lines" is repeated $any ti$es a day in classroo$s

around the world! Although we are not striving to create or

reinforce perfectionis$% it is i$portant to color inside the lines"

so$eti$es. ,hen a child colors within a specific space, he isde$onstrating an understanding of where specific spaces or

shapes begin and end! ,hen he can successfully fill in a space,he is also de$onstrating that he is seeing the lines and his hands

are cooperating with the instructions fro$ his brain! (o help

children with ASDs see the spaces clearly, the following activity is

reco$$ended:

1! 2utline a shape with a dark and contrasting colored line.

7! Make a raised border in which to color with wa' sticks

or yarn that you have glued down with white glue andprepared for this purpose. 9ou can also use large plastic

stencils for this purpose.

?! (racing shapes is a good way for the child to understand

the idea of specific shapes.(racing the child*s hand ashe places it flat on a piece of paper is a great way for

hi$ to see the shapes of objects in the environ$ent and

increase his awareness of his body parts. &t is also fun totrace other objects. (ry tracing around a favorite cup,pencil bo'% or toy.(he child will find it fascinating to seetheoutlinedshape of a fa$iliar object!

'ritin& le&i%ly on theline

Bven though we are entering a world where written

co$$unication is increasingly done on a keyboard% handwritingcontinues to be an i$portant skill that the child needs to learn!

(here are $any options for writing tools. As we will discuss in

4hapter > on senses, the child $ay have specific preferences. (ry

$any different shapes, sies, and te'tures of pencils and crayons

until youfind the ones the child will use.(o write legibly,the child

needs to write on a line and letters need


27/31

to be for$ed correctly. (hose correctly for$ed letters need to be

of unifor$ sie.(he child also needs to apply the appropriate a$ount of

pressure to the writing tool so the letters are visible and the tip of

the pencil does not break! Many skills are involved in the writing

process. (o help the child% you can follow this se3uence:

1! #ave the child trace and then copy lines, shapes, letters,

and nu$bers.

7! Cegin with vertical and hori1ontal lines. (urn those lines

into crossedlines%

then a s3uare and a triangle,

and finallya circle,an H% and a dia$ond with diagonal lines.

?! ,hen the child successfully copies the shapes you have

de$onstrated in a designated area% proceed to letters.

>! Cegin with upper case letters as they are $ostly straight

lines,and thenproceed to lower case letters.

0! (he first word"a child learns to write is his first na$e.

! (o reinforce writing on a line,$ake sure the lines are adark contrast or even raised so that the child gets the

physical reinforce$ent of staying on the line when

writing and is aware of crossing the line when he $oves

over a bu$p.

(here are different letter for$ation style alphabets in use today.&t is a good idea to contact the child*s school and ask for a

sa$ple of the alphabet being used so that you can work on thesa$e letter for$ation!

Turnin& thepa&e

Ceing able to turn the page is an i$portant fine $otor skill! (his

skill involves finger $ove$ent and the touch sense that only one

page is being turned at a ti$e.

So$e children with ASDs have adifficult ti$e turning thepages of abook!

(he difficulty $ay be the result of poor finger de'terity, or

because the child does not like the way a single page feels on the

tips of his fingers! Eo $atter the reason or the disco$fort level%

turning pages is an i$portant skill! (o encourage page turning,have the child turn


28/31

the pages while you are reading his favorite book! (his way, the

child is very $otivated to see what is on the ne't page.Although it $ay feel unco$fortable, he will be distracted and

$otivated enough to overco$e this feelingby the desire to see the

ne't page. 4hildren have an a$a1ing ability to use their $inds to

overco$e $any obstacles.&t is i$portant that children with ASDs do as $uch for

the$selves in every setting! &ncreasing your awareness of these

little tasks and increasing your e'pectations of the child*s skills

helps hi$ beco$e $ore independent! ,hen a child is very

reluctant to turn the page,using apencil $ay help.

#ave hi$ holdthepencil so that the eraser is on the page,and use the grip of theerasertoturn the page.

Follo'in& thereadin&

Following along as the teacher reads aloud is a co$$on activity

in class. (his provides children with ASDs with the visual

infor$ation they $ost likely prefer. Most children with ASDshave difficulty learning when the infor$ation is no $ore than

provided through their auditory syste$! (hat is, if a teacher only

presents infor$ation by speaking, the child $ight not be able to

learn@ it would be better if he could see the infor$ation% as well

as hear it! Adding a visual co$ponent provides the child with a

better chance of learning.)racticing at ho$e and in other settings

outside of schoolis a good way to work on this skill!

,hen reading at ho$e with the child% have hi$ use his inde'

finger to follow along.(his is the sa$e $ethod described earlier-seep!??/! &f using his inde' finger is too difficult% the child can

take a piece of blank paper and hold it under the line being read!

As you co$e to the end of the line, the child $oves the paperdown so that the ne't line is e'posed!

(he best way to know if the child understands what was

being read to hi$ is to ask 3uestions about the $aterial! A childwith ASD $ay not be able to tell you verbally what he has

learned! Give the child the option of drawing apicture depicting

infor$ation that wasjust learned! Allowing the child to e'press

hi$self in this $anner reinforces his learning andself.estee$! &t is

i$portant for all of us to know that we are being understood!


29/31

" 'ord a%out handstren&th

As the world beco$es $ore technologically advanced% so do ourchildren! )erhaps the child uses a tool that has a touch screen

and this has beco$e an effective way for hi$ to co$$unicate,

follow a schedule% or co$plete a task independently.(hat is terrific,

and shouldbe encouraged5

(hink about the different a$ount of hand and finger strength

re3uired to use a $anual typewriter versus a touch screen

keyboard! Bven considering that difference, a certain a$ount of

hand strength is i$portant!(here will be ti$es when the child will need to open a food

container independently, such as in the lunch roo$! 2r perhaps

he $ay need to use a push pin to display his latest

acco$plish$ent on the class cork board! (here are $any ti$es

throughout the day when a certain a$ount of hand strength is

necessary to acco$plish a functional task! Allow the child the

opportunity to use his hands before you do a task for hi$! &f he

is not able to do it;opening the $ilk container, for e'a$ple;open it halfway and ask hi$ if he can co$plete the task! +epeat

this strategy with all containers and packages.(his life skill is especially i$portant during lunch away

fro$ ho$e. Giving the child the chance to open packages andcontainers co$$unicates a strong $essage. #e is learning fro$

this e'perience that he is the one who can provide for his own

needs and that he is e'pected to be capable of doing so.Cepatient!(his $ay take years of practice, but with persistence and

consistency the child will increase his self.reliance in this i$portant

area oflife.

(oo often the child beco$es very good at asking for help and

so does not e'perience the joy of independent acco$plish$ent! ,e

are very good at teaching children with ASDs to say, #elpplease!" ,e are so happy that he is co$$unicating his needs that

we overlook the bigger picture.,e do not always teach hi$ torecognie when he really does need help in contrast to when heneeds to put effort into trying the task hi$self! 4onsider this a

challenge to sit on your own hands!" Allow the child to

e'perience the effortand trials and errors we $ust all go through

before we learn and reach a level of co$petency.


30/31

All the activities that have been highlighted above can work

to increase hand strength! (he key to increasing strength of any

kind is physical resistanceand repetition! #ere are so$e $ore ideas

that $aybe fun to e'plore with the child!

nail )acepicture

,ith a scrap of wood about one inch thick -7!0 c$/% 17 inches

-?6 c$/ wide,and 1< inches ->0 c$/ long,so$e two.inch -0 c$/penny nails, and a s$all ha$$er, you can $ake all sorts of

designs.1! Using chalk or per$anent $arkers,draw a happy face or

a si$ple geo$etric shape on the wood!

7! Show the child how to hold the nail inplace while using the

ha$$er to ha$$er it into the wood about halfway down!

?! &f the child is unable to hold the nail while ha$$ering

then start eachnail and allow hi$ to finish ha$$ering it

down! (his will strengthen the large $uscle of the ar$ as

well as i$prove eyeJhandcoordination!

hole punchactiities

1! Using a standard silver one.punch hole punch can greatly

increase overall grip strength!

7! Use colored paper,and let the child e'plore the kinds ofdesigns he can $ake with the hole punch!

?! Draw geo$etric designs or letters for hi$ to follow and

punch holes in!

>! Fold three or four pieces of paper in half,as if creating abook% and have the childpunch holes about K inch -1 c$/

in fro$ the fold! (hread twine into these two or threeholes to bind "the book!

0! Use the book for other writing or drawingprojects.


31/31

Lets -nd the &oodstu))

For this activity you will need clay,play dough% or co$$erciallyavailable putty that is designed for therapy, and so$e s$all ite$s

such as s$all coins% beads, or beans.(he $ore dense and stiffthe clay,the harder it will be to use,so to increase strength% startwith softer $aterial and increase the density as the child gains

strength! Cefore youbegin this activity,roll the clay or putty into a

ball shape to war$ it up.

1! Use a ball of the putty. (he sie of the ball should fit

easily into thepal$ of the child*shand!

7! &nsert or hide"five or ten ite$s inside the putty.

?! Allow the child to see you insert the ite$s.

>! #ave the child reach into the putty and pull out the

hidden ite$s.

0! 4ount each ite$ as the child finds the$ in the putty by

feeling around and pulling the$ out! 4hildren withASDs often feel cal$ when counting. (he fact that this

ga$e has a definite beginning and ending is also

so$ething that the child with an ASD will appreciate.

=ine up the found ite$s so he can see what he has found!

(here are $any wonderful ways that children e'press

the$selves with their hands. &t is i$portant to re$e$ber that all

children have their own uni3ue sense of e'pression! (he designsthat children with ASDs create are their own e'pressions. Allow

the$ the joy of that e'pression while they are building skills. 9ou

$ay even gain a bit of insight into how they view the world!

Documents

Kids Fine Motor Skills.rtf