This document provides 10 upper body strengthening activities including bridging to increase core strength, superman to strengthen the back, and knock me over using a therapy ball to strengthen the trunk. Other activities are potato smasher with play dough to strengthen hands and arms, transferring water with a sponge to reach overhead, necklace dive on a therapy ball to strengthen the abdominals and back, hole punching to strengthen hands and develop cutting skills, clothes pins for pincer grip strength, wheelbarrow walks to strengthen hands and arches, putty rolling and cutting to strengthen fingers, and cutting straws and beading for fine motor skills development. Additional activities are colorful pom pom dropping using tongs, squeezing a water bottle to

1. Running Head: 10 Upper Body Strengthening Activities
10 Upper Body Strengthening Activities
Long Island University
Simone Jardim

2. Running Head: 10 Upper Body Strengthening Activities
Bridging
-Increases core strength by holding the position
-To alter the activity a stuffed animal can be placed between legs which can be
squeezed while bridging
Superman
-Used to strengthen their back while flying like a superman
-They can also hold a weighted ball in their hands to increase difficulty levels
Knock Me Over
-Have child sit on a large therapy ball. Sing “tea pot” song and try to knock them off
the ball. This activity can be used to help strengthen their trunk.
Potato Smasher with Play Dough
-Increases strength in hands and arms
Transferring Water With A Sponge To Higher Shelf
-Overhead reaching activity is a fun activity for a child who enjoys playing with
water
-Can be used to increase hand and shoulder strength
Necklace Dive
-Strengthen abdominals and back
-Dive backwards on large therapy ball to retrieve sparkly necklaces from floor to put
on therapist
Hole Punching
-Can be used by hole punching along the edges of a shape
-Can be used to make confetti, which can then be used to form letters or shapes
-Strengthens muscles of hand and helps with cutting skill development since hole
puncher tool mimics the open/close motion of scissors
Clothes Pins
-Can be used to make legs of an animal
-Can be used for color matching
-Can be used as candles on a cake or a menorah
-This activity strengthens the muscles of the hand used for pincer grip, which is in
prep for tripod grasp for writing
Wheel Barrow Walk
-Can be used as a transition from the mat to the table or from table to mat
-This activity strengthens hand muscles and arches in prep for fine motor tasks
Putty
-Roll putty to make thick strands, then cut with scissors
-Roll putty and use cookie cutters to make different shapes

3. Running Head: 10 Upper Body Strengthening Activities
-This activity provides a good resistive medium to strengthen fingers
-Writing in play dough
Cutting Straws and Beading
-Helps develop cutting skills, fine motor skills, and visual motor skills, while
increasing hand strength
Colorful Pom Pom Drop
-Use tongs to drop pom poms into the designated color shoot
-Good for hand strengthening and color matching
Water Bottle
-Squeeze water bottle spray on wall and wipe up and down and side to side to
increase hand strength and practice fundamental pre handwriting skills
Squeeze the Otter
-Fill glove with water, poke hole in fingertips, and have child squeeze out the water
into a cup
-Increases hand strength
Home Made Squeeze Toy
-Fill balloon with flour using funnel, tie, make a face on it, and squeeze to increase
hand strength
Moving Colored Water with Turkey Baster
-Using a turkey baster to move water from one container to another is a fun way for
a child who enjoys playing with water to increase hand strength