Research shows implementing handwriting activities can have a positive impact on cognitive and academic development. Doodling has been shown to enhance auditory recall skills by as much as 29%. But good handwriting (and doodling!) skills in turn depend on strong fine motor skills which are influenced by pinch and hand strength.
Fidgets like GumFun help to work on pincer grasp by sending the small plastic colored “gumballs” into their respective color coded chamber which offers the just right amount of resistance. Color discrimination and sequencing skills are other by products of this fidget and its self- enclosed cloth and vinyl shell makes it a breeze for car rides, waiting times or transitions.
Theraputty has long been the go tool for OT and PT’s to work on intrinsic hand strength. Finger abduction (spreading fingers wide apart) and adduction (bringing the fingers of the hand together) as well as thumb opposition movements are all activities that can help promote good handwriting skills as well as other tasks such as scissor use and dressing manipulatives.
Make sure your repertoire of fidgets includes those that will help build finger and hand strength.
