Harmanda Bekker Arbeidsterapeute / Occupational Therapists

30/04/2026

Separation of the sides of the hand is an essential fine motor skill for practically all functional tasks. This graphic has activity ideas to support each side of the hand.

🟣The purple side is the precision side, or dexterity side. Refined use of the fingers and joints on this side of the hand supports motor control needed for tasks like manipulating small objects with the thumb and finger, pinching a pencil, etc.

🔴The red side of the graphic is the power side of the support side of the hand. This is the strength and stability side which is needed to create the arch of the palm when completing precision tasks.

Here is an article for a better explanation and more ways to support separation of the sides of the hand: https://www.theottoolbox.com/separation-of-sides-of-hand-activity/

30/04/2026

We bring to a close with our favorite definition of occupational therapy.

01/04/2026

⭐ "OT practitioners are knowledgeable about development, underlying skills and intervention strategies needed for successful participation in 9 areas of occupation" (Bazyk, 2022) 🌐 Learn about the value of our profession in the OT FAQ: theOThub.com/occupationaltherapy

18/03/2026

10/02/2026

Before pencils come play!
🌱🌱🌱

Love this from

27/01/2026

💪 Core Strength in Kids: What’s “Normal”? 🤔

I get asked all the time where to find norms for measuring core strength in children! As pediatric therapists, we often look at supine flexion, prone extension, modified sit-ups, and push-ups to assess core strength. But honestly? I focus more on quality of movement and progress over time rather than rigid norms.

That said, I know parents, teachers, and administrators like to see numbers! 📊 The most commonly referenced norms for supine flexion & prone extension are from older studies, but they’re still widely used. If anyone has more updated research, I’d love to hear about it! Drop your insights below! ⬇️👇

14/01/2026

This is an old school OT tip from my early days as a school-based OT...Go into your sewing box (told you it was old school! 🤣), grab a serrated wheel (used to transfer markings when making patterns in sewing projects), and add it to your therapy toolbox.

There are so many ways to use this in skill-building:
⚪Create raised lines on paper for line awareness
⚪Make a tactile line for working on scissor skills
⚪Create a raised line border for coloring tasks

Get one here👉👉Amazon affiliate link 👉👉👉https://amzn.to/3T0baEs

07/01/2026

One key component to fine motor strength, endurance, and dexterity is refined arches.

"Hand arches refer to the curved surfaces of the palm of the hand, in three distinct planes, or curved places on the hand. The ability to control the hand arches allows the hand to mobilize and hold a variety of objects of different sizes.

Refined hand arches allow the hand to cup water, hold a few coins, gently hold a small firefly, or curve the hand on a golf ball or basketball.

These hand arches are called:

✋Proximal transverse arch- formed by the metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP joints) These are the joints at the base of each fingers. This arch does not mobilize as much as the other two arches, and offers stability.
✋Distal transverse arch- formed by the distal row of carpal bones. These bones make up the wrist.
✋Longitudinal arch- follows the curve of the fingers of the hand, from wrist to MCP joints."

Here's everything you need to know about hand arches: https://www.theottoolbox.com/development-of-hand-arches/

21/12/2025

👀 Visual processing and visual perceptual skills are not the same thing!

Both are essential for learning, movement, and everyday tasks but they describe different parts of how the brain makes sense of what we see. 🧠

When educators and therapists understand this difference, they can better support students who struggle with visual information. 💪