Whether you’re dealing with aging hands that have stiffened up or just want to keep your hands limber, introducing your body and brain to new movements can improve your hand dexterity. The process of coordinating the movements of your hands and fingers in new ways such as art and crafts projects can make it much easier to tackle new activities in the future.
Yarn
If you’ve never worked with yarn and your hands are stiffening up, knitting and crocheting may be tough to learn. However, even those with stiff hands or limited dexterity can learn to do yarn wrappings, such as around a lampshade or a bowl.
Wrapping, braiding and gluing can be quite simple, and even stiff fingers can do these activities. This will also give users the chance to try new colors, experiment with new textures, and enjoy a bit of retail therapy! Many of these projects can also make lovely gifts.
Fabric
A simple project for someone with limited dexterity who loves to work with fabric is a simple wire or foam wreath. A wire wreath with multiple rings can be loaded with small strips of fabric, and knotted around the wire members of the wreath. Once the knots are tied, the fabric can be compressed to create a burst of fabric and color.
Look for basic kinds of cotton that can be cut or torn into strips. Ribbon can also work well for these projects. If there are several participants, consider putting some folks to work cutting or pinking the fabric to cut down on raveling. Concentrate on seasonal fabrics; four wreaths can easily be wrapped to display during each season.
Wood
Former woodworkers, and those who have always wanted to work with wood, can create amazing projects with a scroll saw. For anyone who struggles with limited strength, one of the greatest benefits of a scroll saw is that you can easily work with small, lightweight pieces of wood.
Children should never be left alone working on a scroll saw, so make sure there is adult supervision. These crafting projects can be great for people to learn to work with a tape measure, figure out angles and understand how to square things up.
Tape
Painter’s tape can be a wonderfully fun tool for anyone with limited hand dexterity who wants to paint. For example, a simple wooden frame can have muslin stapled to it. Muslin is lighter than canvas and more permeable. A fun project for someone who is rebuilding hand dexterity is to work the muslin from the back once it’s on the frame.
tape a grid or diamond pattern on the back of the muslin
using a short-handled paintbrush, fill in the un-taped areas with white latex paint
allow this to dry and remove the tape
Flip the muslin frame around and use small amounts of latex paint, thinned with a lot of water, and paint a wash of these colors on the front of the muslin. Be aware that this may get messy. Let this dry completely and shine a light on the back of the muslin. The light will pass through the paint lines and create a stained glass effect.
Food
Learning to cook again if you are suddenly dealing with limited dexterity, simple craft projects can include simple grip and drop projects. While folks may not be comfortable handling a knife that will cut up a pineapple, a beautiful fruit salad can be made up with freshly washed grapes, canned pineapple, and blueberries.
Another fun food craft for stiff fingers is making parfaits. One pretty glass bowl, layered with vanilla yogurt, fresh blueberries, and a sprinkle of granola can be put together for a beautiful presentation.
Paint
In addition to working with paint and tape, it’s possible to increase hand dexterity working with brushes and lightweight rollers. Preparing your canvas by rolling it with a small foam roller is a terrific start. For those who can’t grip a roller, the foam edge-painting pads can be pushed across a canvas once loaded.
Don’t be afraid to get messy when learning a new craft. A long bristle paintbrush can be a great spatter tool, but it will spatter everything around it. Work in a space that will allow you to celebrate creating, no matter your mobility concerns.
