Athletes warm up before they play. Musicians warm up before they perform. Little hands benefit from a quick warm-up too, especially if coloring tires them out or they struggle with control.
These warm-ups take one or two minutes. Pick two or three and do them right before a coloring session.
Squeeze and press
1. Play dough squeeze
Squeeze a ball of play dough in each hand ten times. Then roll it into a snake with the fingertips.
2. Sponge squeeze
At bath time or at the sink, squeeze water from a sponge with one hand, then the other.
3. Wall push-ups
Stand facing a wall, hands flat at shoulder height, and do five slow push-ups. This wakes up the shoulders and arms that support the hand.
4. Chair push-ups
Sitting on a sturdy chair, put hands on the seat beside the hips and push the body up for a count of three.
Pinch and pick
5. Clothespin clips
Clip clothespins around the edge of a paper plate. Count them on, count them off.
6. Pom-pom tongs
Move pom-poms or cereal pieces from one bowl to another with tweezers or small tongs.
7. Coin drop
Pick up coins one at a time and push them into a piggy bank slot. Supervise little ones.
8. Sticker peel
Peel stickers off a sheet and stick them onto a coloring page as decorations. Two jobs in one.
Finger games
9. Finger taps
Tap each finger to the thumb in order, then back again. Speed up, slow down.
10. Spider push-ups
Put fingertips together, palms apart, and press the fingers together like a spider doing push-ups.
11. Finger songs
"Where Is Thumbkin?" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" are classic warm-ups disguised as songs.
12. Paper ball crumple
Crumple a sheet of scrap paper into a tight ball using one hand only. Then flatten it out again and use it for a texture rubbing.
Make it a routine
Kids love rituals. "Warm-up, then coloring" can become a short routine that signals it is time to focus. You might do the same two warm-ups every time, or let your child pick from cards with pictures of each exercise.
Then color
After the warm-up, go straight to a page that is fun to finish. Friendly, big-shaped characters work well for little hands that are still building strength: Trace Then Color: Cute Cartoon Monsters and Trace Then Color: Cartoon Dinosaurs are both good choices. For more on building strength, see building hand strength with coloring.
Why warm-ups help
Warm-ups increase blood flow to the muscles, wake up body awareness and help kids feel where their hands and fingers are. Occupational therapists use them often, especially before writing tasks. They are also a fun transition from active play to quiet focus.
Questions parents ask
How long should a warm-up be?
One or two minutes is enough. The goal is to wake up the hands, not tire them out.
Do older kids need warm-ups?
They can still help, especially before long writing or coloring sessions. Older kids might prefer a quick stretch and finger taps.
Can warm-ups help with handwriting too?
Yes. Teachers and therapists use the same warm-ups before writing. See from crayon to handwriting.
About Kevin Coulston
Kevin Coulston is a cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonists Society who has written and illustrated more than 100 drawing, tracing and coloring books for kids, including the Trace Then Color series. Meet Kevin or browse all his books on FirstArtBooks.com.
