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Improving your physical dexterity skills at school
Physical dexterity is the ability to use your hands and body with skill and precision.
It’s a skill you pick up in PE – but also other subjects too, from art and design and music to biology and chemistry. It’s vital across a range of careers, including art, medicine, science and sports – and that’s just for starters.
‘Physical dexterity is vital across careers in art, medicine, science and sport as well as many more!’
What is physical dexterity?
Physical dexterity refers to the ability to manipulate objects and move your body with ease and coordination. It involves:
- Hand-eye coordination: Using your hands and eyes together to complete tasks.
- Fine motor skills: The ability to make small, precise movements, like tying your shoes or writing neatly.
- Gross motor skills: Coordinating larger movements, such as running, jumping or throwing.
- Agility: Being able to change direction quickly and efficiently, often used in sports.
Physical dexterity at school
When you think physical dexterity, you probably think of PE. And while physical education is one way you of improving your motor skills and coordination, did you know that you are building physical dexterity just by writing with a pen and paper?
Let’s look at how you develop physical dexterity in particular subjects:
- Art and design: When drawing, painting or using tools, physical dexterity helps you create detailed, precise artwork.
- Humanities: Writing long essays by hand – in subjects such as English and history – helps develop your fine motor skills.
- Physical education (PE): Whether you’re playing sports, dancing, or participating in physical exercises, you need good physical dexterity to move fluidly and perform well.
- Science: Handling delicate equipment, conducting experiments and measuring materials require careful hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Using physical dexterity at work
Physical dexterity is highly valued in many workplaces, especially those that require manual skills or precision. Here’s how it helps in different careers:
- Art and design: If you’re a sculptor, tailor or craftsperson, physical dexterity helps you create detailed work.
- Engineering and science: If you’re in the lab or working in a field such as electronics, you’ll need a steady hand and good coordination.
- Healthcare: Surgeons, dentists and nurses all rely on fine motor skills to perform delicate procedures and administer care.
- Sports: In almost every sport, having good physical dexterity gives you the edge, whether it's in football, gymnastics or martial arts.
- Trades and construction: Jobs like carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work require excellent physical dexterity for using tools and materials.
How to improve your physical dexterity skills
Improving physical dexterity takes time and careful practice, but it’s possible to get better with the right exercises and habits:
- Practise fine motor tasks: Engage in activities like drawing, writing, knitting or playing musical instruments to improve your hand-eye coordination and precision.
- Be active: Participate in sports, dance or other physical activities to build strength, agility and gross motor skills.
- Use tools: Practice using various tools (e.g. scissors, hammers or paintbrushes) to increase your affinity for handling objects and equipment.
- Do hand exercises: Believe it or not, simple hand exercises, like squeezing a stress ball or practicing finger movements, can help improve dexterity!
Improving physical dexterity is about engaging in activities that challenge your hands, fingers and body.
It will pay off if you study a subject or pursue a career which requires fine motor skills, good coordination, agility – or a combination of these abilities!
