Some tips for children who haven't yet "chosen" a hand:
Put the scissors, crayon, pencil directly in front of the child. Whichever hand they pick up the utensil with, this is the hand that they should use for the entire time. If they choose the crayon with their right hand to color, they should use that hand until they are done with that color. If they pick up the scissors with the left hand, they need to finish the cutting with that hand. Typically, a child will pick up a crayon, marker, scissors etc. placed in front of them with their dominant hand. A child will switch hands mid-task due to hand fatigue. Their hand gets tired so they switch to the other hand. It is important for children to build up their hand strength.
Encourage your child no matter what hand they have "chosen" for their dominant hand.
Build up strength in hands:
1. Play with play-dough. Encourage children to squeeze it, squish it and roll it in their hands. Have your child mix colors to make new colors. By mixing the colors completely, your child will need to use a lot of hand strength!
2. Give your child scissors! (Always supervise your child with scissors.) Allow them to cut.
3. Give your child crayons and coloring books or blank paper. This is an important skill to have. It not only works on hand strength but also concentration and color recognition as well. Encourage the use of LOTS of colors, not just one and work on not scribbling. Use little hand motions to fill in a spot completely. Outline different areas with a brightly colored marker so your child can see the lines and have a clear stopping point.
4. Do finger plays.
5. Hang paper on the wall and let your child color, paint and glue things to this paper. A vertical surface helps to build arm muscles and proper crayon grips.
6. Stickers are great for fine motor practice! Let them peel and stick them to paper.
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