Squeeze, Squish, Pull, and Pinch Your Way to Better Handwriting!

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Squeeze, Squish, Pull, and Pinch Your Way to Better Handwriting!

Kerri Heilman, OTR/L

Average rating:4.8Number of reviews:(4)

Handwriting legibility and hand strength go "hand in hand" but kids don't want to do exercises, they want to play - Let's Go!

Class Experience

Does your child struggle to manipulate small things or have a weak or immature grasp? Is it like World War III to get your child to practice their handwriting? If so, this is the right class for you! In this fun and engaging class, we will use play-doh, tongs, pipe cleaners, and googlie eyes to strengthen the 34 hand muscles necessary for fine motor coordination of the fingers and thumb. Without this underlying strength and coordination, manipulative tasks, pencil grasp, and handwriting can...

Students will improve their fine motor strength and coordination in this fun and engaging pre-handwriting class. We will use Play-Doh, tongs, pipe cleaners, and googlie eyes to make a silly caterpillar. We will also draw vertical and horizontal lines (Caterpillar legs). Specific targeted areas in this class include:
Improving separation of the hand (For writing, we need one side of our hand to be stable, while we use the other side to manipulate the pencil).
Addressing finger isolation.
Strengthening of the Intrinsic Muscles of the hands. (Necessary for manipulating the pencil or other small items).
Strengthening of the Lumbrical Muscles of the hands. (Necessary for holding the pencil in a functional grasp, and controlling the pencil to form lines, shapes, and eventually, letters. 
Fun, fun and more fun!

I am a licensed and registered Occupational Therapist and have been practicing for 20 years in the field. My passion is empowering kiddos to be their best through fun and functional play!! Play is the "occupation" of a child!

Homework Offered
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered

Play-Doh (Any brand or color will do. Homemade is great too!)
Tongs (Kitchen tongs will do).
Pipe Cleaners (Just one will do).
Googly Eyes (1 or more...cuz hey, your child might want their caterpillar to be a cyclops or alien caterpillar!) 
A piece of paper (Construction or good ole' fashion printer paper will do). 
Scissors (Optional for cutting the pipe cleaner in half to make the antenna. Parents can also pre-cut if desired).

Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

Meet the teacher

Kerri Heilman, OTR/L

Average rating:4.8Number of reviews:(4)

Hi there! I am a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist with 20 wonderful years of experience. I currently co-own and operate an exciting pediatric private practice!! My passion is helping kiddos to be the very best they can be through fun...