Pinch It!

A Playful Therapy Tool for Children with Dysgraphia

Pinch it! – A Playful Therapy Tool for Children with Dysgraphia

Pinch it! is an interactive app designed to support children with dysgraphia through fun, customizable psychomotor therapy exercises. Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that affects handwriting skills like letter formation, spacing, and text organization. It impacts around 12% of school-aged children, making early intervention essential, yet it's often undiagnosed. Built with therapists in mind, Pinch it! transforms a proven therapeutic pinching exercise into an engaging digital game. Using the device’s camera, the app tracks the child’s hand as they perform a series of pinching movements, sequentially or alternately, based on the chosen settings.

How it works:

1. Customize the session – Therapists or parents can tailor the pinching sequence, speed, and duration to the child's needs;
2. Hands up! – The child holds their hand in front of the screen (no touching required);
3. Catch the buttons – Pinch with the correct fingers in the right order to catch falling buttons and earn points.

If the wrong finger is used, no points are awarded, encouraging accuracy and focus. As the child learns the correct sequence, their score increases, building both skill and confidence.

Whether used in therapy or as a game at home, Pinch it! offers real motor development benefits in a playful, motivating environment. Kids love the challenge, so don’t be surprised if they ask, “What’s my high score today?”