Pinch & Place: Pom Pom Sorting for Stroke Rehabilitation
Put fine motor skills to the test with this Montessori based colourful sorting challenge! Using tongs, participants pick up soft pom poms and sort them onto matching coloured paper markers. This fun, low-pressure activity encourages hand strength, grip control, coordination and concentration while providing plenty of opportunities for conversation and friendly competition. Perfect for aged care programs and stroke rehabilitation sessions, it can be adapted to suit a wide range of abilities.
STEP 1
Set up a table for the participant. Place a variety of coloured pom poms into the middle of the table with a pair of bamboo tongs. Cut out squares of coloured paper to match the colours of the pom poms, making sure there is one square for each colour. Place these onto the table to the left and right of the unsorted pom poms.
STEP 2
Sit the participant at the table, making sure they can easily reach the unsorted pom poms and matching coloured squares. Ask them to use the tongs to grip the unsorted pom poms one at a time and transfer them onto their corresponding coloured marker.
STEP 3
Another way that the participant could sort the pom poms is by size. Cut out a large, medium and small circle from paper, placing them onto the table next to a pile of unsorted pom poms. Ask the participant to use the tongs to grip one pom pom at a time and transfer them onto the corresponding sized marker.
STEP 4
If participants are struggling with the tongs, have them first use their hands to grab the pom poms and gradually move to using the tongs. This activity utilises squeezing and release repetition to help strengthen the fingers and palms while helping to retrain neurological pathways in the brain.
