EXERCISES FOR HAND COORDINATION

Improve your hand coordination, flexibility and strength with these targeted exercises. As you work through these exercises, they become more challenging. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t do them all at first.

Other activities to improve hand coordination:

1. Use your weak hand(s) for all possible daily activities- brushing teeth, eating, dressing, flipping a light switch, putting on glasses, itching, et.

2. Squeeze/ wring out washcloth.

3. Fold towels, washcloths, or clothes.

4. Turn pages of a book or magazine.

5. Stack coins, dice, or cubes.

6. Write letters or make lists.

7. Tie 12-inch lengths of strings/shoelaces with as many knots as possible; then untie. (Hospital Modification: tie the strings together on a hospital gown. )

8. Pick up pencil and roll it between fingers and thumb.

9. Screw/unscrew lids (toothpaste, lotion, etc.)

10. Turn things over in your hand.

11. Hook paper clips together.

12. Fasten safety pins to a towel or washcloth; then remove.  

13. Attach bobby pins to a note card.

14. Flick small balls of paper or beads.

15. Use tweezers to pick up cotton balls, beads, popcorn kernels, rice, etc.

16. String beads or macaroni pasta.

17. Dial the telephone or type on the computer/phone.

18. Open and close a lock with a key. Turn doorknobs.

19. Use scissors to cut out pictures from a magazines.

20. Hold 5-10 coins of different value in your hand. While keeping coins in palm, use thumb and index finger to place coins on table one at a time from the lowest to highest.

21. Play piano (even keeping hand in one place and hitting 1-2 keys at a time.)

22. Screw and unscrew nuts and bolts.

23. Resume or begin hobbies such as knitting, crocheting, sewing, etc.

24. Play games such as checkers, chess, cards and board games. Do jigsaw puzzles.

25. Play video games.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Use your hand AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!