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Child Hand strengthening - dyspraxia

5 replies

WhiteAmericanoNoSugar · 07/06/2025 12:35

Please can anyone recommend any hand strengthening exercises or equipment/activities for my 6yo boy who is likely dyspraxic. He hates writing his spellings out (his homework) and needs to work on letter formation but tires v quickly and is reluctant!

I'm aware he is young for all this! So just want to strengthen his hands

OP posts:
Gizlotsmum · 07/06/2025 12:37

We were recommended play doh and now have some putty with different strength, rolling it, pinching it, squeezing it are all good exercises that don’t feel too much like work!!

NannyR · 07/06/2025 12:39

With preschoolers , it's recommended that playing with play dough, clay, plasticine etc is really good for strengthening the muscles used for writing - could be worth a try with a six year old too?

LIZS · 07/06/2025 12:40

Playdough, squeezy ball, lego, puzzles, wet sand, knot tying, cooking including rubbing in and kneading . Also work on core strength and arm/shoulder, for better posture and control.

Monkeyballz · 07/06/2025 12:43

Theraputty, colouring in, Hama beads.

UpsideDownChairs · 07/06/2025 12:50

Mine's older now, but over time we did playdough, I have little toys everywhere - squidgy ones, stretchy ones, just stuff to fiddle with anywhere he finds himself (eg in the car). He does piano lessons as much for the hand strength/mobility as to learn piano (which is lucky, because it's tough for him), I have him carry the shopping, he has to try to open his own water bottle/jar before I'll do it for him (we joke that he has one bottle opening per day in him - but actually, he managed 2 recently :D - he's 15).

I make sure he uses his cutlery properly (he uses the wrong hands, but I'm on him about technique).

We were also recommended pencils on rough paper (or even sand paper) and chalk on concrete/walls in order to get the feedback when writing (TBH, he only writes in maths - otherwise he types now).

We tried all the offset pens, weighted bracelets, slanted desks and none of them did it for him - although I know they work for other children

Mainly we're realistic though - that it's always going to be an issue, so sometimes there need to be workarounds - socks a size to big so he can get them on, gadgets to help him grip/open bottles, and not letting him avoid stuff too much, whilst also letting him avoid it a bit because there's no point making life miserable (elasticated trousers, but normal shirts we just leave mostly buttoned up for example)

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