A beneficial transition activity before handwriting or fine motor tasks. It will prime the muscles of the wrists and fingers, to help improve handwriting and fine motor task performance.
Instructions
Clap one hand on top of the other (with your palms together)
Keep your wrists together, while you open and close your ‘clam’
Repeat 5 times and then repeat with the opposite hand on top
Watch Points
Wrists staying together (like a hinge)
‘Clam’ opening wide
Fingertips touching the fingertips of the opposite hand when the clam is closed
Modifications
More Challenging
Multi-Sensory
Ball Skills
Fine Motor
Do Clam Close with your fingers together instead of apart
Try Clam Close with a stretchy scrunchie around your knuckles
Try Clam Close in the bath, opening and closing your ‘shell’ underwater like a clam!
Not applicable
Clam Close strengthens the wrists and the intrinsic finger muscles that are important for fine motor control
