Fine Motor Skills and Focus: How Braiding Hair Supports Occupational Therapy Goals in Phnom Penh

Simple daily activities like braiding hair can offer powerful learning opportunities for children. At OrbRom Center in Phnom Penh, our occupational therapy sessions often include functional routines, such as dressing, grooming, and creative play, to help children build fine motor skills, attention to task, and sensory regulation. These small moments lead to big progress in both confidence and independence.

Why Fine Motor Skills Matter

Fine motor skills involve the coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers—crucial for tasks such as:

• Buttoning clothes

• Holding pencils

• Using utensils

• Tying shoelaces or braiding hair

For many children with developmental delays, autism, or motor coordination difficulties, these skills need to be explicitly taught and practiced.

Occupational Therapy in Everyday Routines

At OrbRom Center, we use familiar, real-life activities like hair grooming to:

• Strengthen hand dexterity and bilateral coordination

• Teach sequencing and following multi-step tasks

• Encourage attention and patience

• Reduce sensory sensitivity to touch or hair pulling

Activities like braiding with beads, brushing, or styling not only support motor development but also promote body awareness and self-care habits.

Play-Based Therapy That Feels Natural

Occupational therapy doesn’t have to feel clinical or forced. We integrate playful, meaningful tasks like:

• Beading strands of yarn or toys

• Styling dolls’ or plush toys’ hair

• Role-play with grooming routines

These methods help children become more comfortable with touch, more focused during tasks, and more confident in their abilities.

Empowering Families in Phnom Penh

We also work closely with parents to bring therapy home. At OrbRom Center, we provide:

• Easy at-home activity guides

• Sensory-friendly grooming tools

• Strategies for making routines fun, not stressful

Whether it’s brushing teeth, doing hair, or dressing for school, our goal is to help children succeed in everyday life.

👉 Learn more about our Occupational Therapy Services