A key focus for many NDIS participants is on how to develop coordination as they are looking to improve their motor skills, confidence, and independence. Whether it’s picking up small objects, catching a ball, or simply walking steadily, coordination plays a big role in how we interact with the world.
Unlocking My Ability collaborates with participants across all ages and abilities, helping them cultivate these essential skills at their own pace, utilising approaches that are practical, engaging, and evidence-based.
In this blog, we’ll delve into effective strategies for developing coordination through everyday activities, therapeutic supports, and NDIS-funded services.
Why Coordination Is Important
Coordination is the body’s ability to move smoothly and efficiently, encompassing timing, balance, spatial awareness, and the skill to control different body parts in unison.
For many individuals living with disability, enhancing coordination directly improves everyday functions such as dressing, writing, walking, and using cutlery.
Conversely, poor coordination can impact self-esteem, restrict independence, and make it more challenging to fully participate in school, work, or community life.
This is precisely why understanding how to develop coordination is so vital. It truly opens the door to greater confidence and physical freedom.
Developing Coordination with NDIS Support
Learning how to develop coordination typically involves small, targeted steps, often with guidance from a support worker, occupational therapist, or physiotherapist. The key elements are consistency, patience, and building upon existing strengths.
Here’s how Unlocking My Ability help its participants:
1. Setting of Specific Goals. Because every individual has different needs, we begin by having a conversation with the participant to set clear, achievable goals.
2. Daily Tasks as Skills Development Opportunities. Many coordination skills can be developed through play, daily routines, and social interaction; activities like stacking blocks, buttoning a shirt, using scissors, or kicking a ball can be both fun and functional.
3. Involvement of Allied Healthcare Professionals. Occupational therapists and physios can assess coordination challenges and create personalised programs that suit your abilities and pace. NDIS funding may cover these supports under Improved Daily Living or Health & Wellbeing categories.
Activities to Develop Hand-Eye Coordination
For many people, particularly children or individuals with neurological conditions, activities designed to develop hand-eye coordination are a significant component of therapy.
These can involve a variety of engaging practices, such as playing catch or balloon volleyball, threading beads or using tweezers to meticulously pick up small objects, drawing specific shapes or carefully tracing lines. popping bubbles or interacting with apps that demand precise touches, and participating in memory or reaction-based games that incorporate hand movements.
The primary goal of these exercises is to strengthen the crucial connection between what the eyes perceive and how the hands precisely respond—skills that are fundamental for everyday tasks like writing, using cutlery, or playing musical instruments.
Progress at Your Pace
Improving coordination isn’t an overnight process, and that’s perfectly fine. With the right supports and a patient, strengths-based approach, progress will naturally emerge. Unlocking My Ability celebrates every small step forward, understanding that these incremental gains accumulate into significant changes in confidence and independence.
We also firmly believe that learning how to develop coordination shouldn’t feel like a chore. That’s why we weave in fun, engaging activities that keep participants motivated and actively involved. Whether it’s through games, movement-based learning, or creative play, our consistent goal is to make personal growth feel natural and genuinely enjoyable.
Helping You Unlock Your Abilities
Unlocking My Ability is here to support individuals and families at every stage of their NDIS journey. From checking your eligibility to helping prepare applications and build your capacity, we’re ready to assist. If you’re feeling uncertain about the process, don’t hesitate to reach out to a team who truly understands the system and can help you get the support you need.
