Activities to Help With Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia affects children in several ways. It affects their verbal development and their motor development, such as crawling, standing or walking. A child with dyspraxia can also have problems integrating thoughts with actions, so carrying out a simple task can turn into an exercise of frustration. Dyspraxia does not, however, affect a person's intelligence or ability, but it can cause learning difficulties.

Daily Indoor Activities

• Daily, repetitive exercises can enhance motor development.

  Give short, precise instructions and engage in as much eye contact as possible. Discuss rules of play and use facial expressions such as happy, sad or angry so the child can associate the face with the emotion. Start exercises with the hands and arms. From a standing position and using a cardboard tube and a large ball, practice hitting a large ball back and forth. From a lying position, ask the child to do the same thing with his tummy, his shoulders and his feet. Activities such as clapping, marching or hopping to music that he recognizes and enjoys can be a lot of fun. Encouragement and acknowledgment can play a large role in self confidence.

Hand and Brain Coordination Exercises

• Holding a pen or pencil can be a problem for children with dyspraxia. Write letters on a chalkboard and ask him to copy letters and if possible say the letter at the same time. Letters can progress to words and words to sentences. Play games like Chinese checkers where he can insert small pegs in round holes and count spaces. You can give him a treat when he completes the game. Teaching the child how to use the keyboard on a computer can be extremely useful since computers are a big part of our everyday world.

Teaching Everyday Skills

• Everyday skills are a necessary part of living.

  Copy things done in the everyday world. Demonstrate how you put on a shirt, slacks and shoes. Ask the child to do these tasks. Holding a toothbrush in your hand, say the word "toothbrush" and start to brush your teeth. Help him to do the same thing. Practice washing and drying hands. Say a word such as "hungry," "tired" and "hello," and ask him to repeat it. Associate the word with the action: for hungry, you eat, for tired, you rest, and so on. Speech difficulties can result in social awkwardness and a shying away from conversation.

Outdoor Activities and Time Management

• Both interpersonal and motor skills can be developed using activities.

  Organize outdoor play that involves physical activity which in turn develops the motor activity of the child. Remind the child that the game will start in a few minutes so he can start getting ready. Plan the game so that it starts and ends at a certain time. Invite family and friends to participate in sports and activities since this can help to build social skills and interaction. Organize sports such as swimming, martial arts or photography where the child can develop good self-esteem and confidence as he masters these activities.