Whether you are working with children or adults, scissor skills and craft activities can be a relaxing way to develop hand strength and improve fine motor control. It can also benefit skills in other areas such as handwriting and dressing. Getting creative can be a great way for clients to express themselves and ensure everyone has some fun, while working on deeper skills and strength-building.
At Active Hands, we understand the importance of supporting skills from their earliest emergence. Our wide range of solutions means we can support people across a very varied range of abilities. Take a look at just a few of our options below to support the development of scissor and crafting skills. Let’s help everyone to express themselves creatively, develop transferrable skills and strengths and have some fun while doing so!
Scissor Skills
Cutting with scissors involves the skills of hand separation, fine motor coordination, bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination. Developing scissor skills can have a direct benefit on handwriting, buttoning and many sports and leisure activities. This in turn can support increased self-esteem and confidence as well as independence. So, finding the right pair of scissors to support cutting skills is vital.
For those with little to no grip, our Table Top Scissors are easy to use by pushing down on the t-shaped handle. The spring will automatically re-open the scissors once the pressure is released. Either push the scissors along the table to cut across the paper or hold the scissors still and move the paper as you cut. Recommended for those who have weak hand or arm strength, poor motor control, tremors or painful joints due to conditions such as arthritis.
For those with reduced hand mobility, the Nimble offers an excellent solution. This one-finger cutter is ideal for craft paper and wrapping paper. It will also get through mail and parcel tape, food packaging and more. Its tiny ceramic blade remains sharp enough to cut through your materials, but will not cause serious injuries like scissors or knives. Perfect for those with reduced hand-eye coordination, joint pain or limited hand strength.
For those developing the finger strength needed for scissor skills, we offer both the Easi-Grip Scissors and the Long Loop Scissors. The Easi-Grip scissors are lightweight and only require a gentle squeeze to operate. They automatically spring open once the pressure is released. The Long Loop Scissors enable users to harness the strength in all of their fingers by sliding the last three into the bottom loop and using their index finger for guidance. Both types of scissors are available in child and adult sizes. The Easi-Grip scissors also come in a mini size, which can be used in either the left or right hand. This makes them perfect for children who have not yet decided on their hand dominance. Build strength and develop fine motor control as well as attention and focus.
Other Craft Aids
Outside of scissors skills, there is so much fun to be had getting creative with art materials. From painting and printing to drawing and scrap-booking. If you have a client working towards a traditional pincher grip, our range of Pencil Grips can support from using a whole hand to minimal support as they strengthen and perfect a pincer grip.
The FUNctional Hand is a multi-use gripping aid for those using a whole-hand grasp. Engineered by a physical and occupational therapist, it keeps hands and wrists in a neutral position. This reduces strain on joints and making crafting a comfortable and ‘FUN’ experience. Use it to hold paintbrushes, glue sticks and pens as well as musical beaters, cooking equipment, make-up and much more!
Our EazyHold Straps receive fantastic reviews for their comfort, ease of use and for the variety of applications. Perfect for a little extra support, for those who may ‘let go’ and those with reduced grip strength. Attach to any item to create a strap to support your hand. Glue sticks, paintbrushes, chunky pens – it’s time to get creative! And they have the added bonus of being dishwasher-safe, so it’s no problem if things get a little messy!
For those with very reduced hand strength and mobility, our in-house designed Small Item Aid is a vital piece of kit. Able to hold any small-diameter item, at any angle in your palm, this one gripping aid can support crafting, music making, personal care tasks, make-up application and so much more. As a therapist, you can pre-load the palm pads to contain a range of art materials. This enables clients to switch easily between colors or media to create art work with independence and enjoyment. Designed for comfort and with our recognisable loops to enable independent use, this is one of our top gripping aids.
Get Crafting!
Art and craft activities can be enormously rewarding, boosting self-esteem and enabling everyone to express themselves in a variety of ways. They can also be a fantastic way to develop transferrable skills and to improve strength, coordination, focus and attention. With the right supports, you can enable your clients to access these activities with comfort, confidence and independence – and to have a whole lot of fun while doing so!
If you like to do the crafting and often find yourself making gripping supports and solutions for your clients, take a look at the brand new raw materials section of our website. Containing many of the materials we use to make our own gripping aids, including our loops and rings, foam, webbing, velcro and much more, it’s a great place to inspire and resource your projects.
Johanna Smith
The post What Options Do I Have to Support Scissor Skills and Crafting? appeared first on The Active Hands Company.