MATERIALS & ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOURAGE
Fine-Motor Development
The below activities help build muscles in a child’s hands that will help them be prepared for school activities such as writing, cutting and self-help skills like zipping their jacket and tying their shoes. These activities are also good for helping older students who struggle with handwriting. Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions 🙂
Simple Materials You Probably Already Have at Home:
Markers
Using markers is easier for a child first learning to write because it doesn’t require as much pressure or control as using a pencil or crayon.
Crayons
Coloring requires more pressure than markers or paint so learning to color in shapes or pictures is a great way to practice using control and building those hand muscles.
Pencils
Learning to hold a pencil correctly and write their name will really help your child feel prepared when starting school. It is important to take time and practice this with your child. Begin by practicing with a dry-erase marker or marker if they are resistant to write with a pencil. You may have to help them build their hand strength to be able to feel like they can control writing with a pencil.
Scissors
Practice using correct grip and have your child practice cutting various items: paper, thin cardboard, pictures from magazines, playdough, pipe cleaners, old newspapers or wrapping paper.
Glue
Practice using glue sticks and liquid glue with your child. Even taking off and putting on a cap requires hand strength. Try having them glue pieces of things they cut to a larger piece of paper.
Stickers
Have your child peel and stick stickers on to a page. Bonus points if you draw a letter, number or design for them to stick stickers in a certain place.
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Other Fun Materials to Help Students Build Fine-Motor Skills:
Playdough (or even better, CLAY!)
Rolling, smashing, shaping and building will help build your child’s hand muscles in a fun way.
Beading
Picking up beads and threading them builds muscles in the hand.
Preschoolers: large beads and shoe laces
Lower Elementary: Pony beads and string
Upper Elementary: Seed beads and thread
Games
Games are a great way to build fine-motor skills:
Jenga
Pick-up Sticks
Operation
Barrel of Monkeys
Puzzles
Wikki Stix
Create things with your child. Try to make a letter, number or animal out of these.
Legos
Encourage your child to build a variety of things out of legos: stack them, make letters, numbers, buildings, cars, whatever their imagination dreams up!
Paint
Painting with a brush (or even their fingers) is a great way to build muscle strength in your child’s hands to help prepare them to feel confident writing with markers and pencils.
Dry-erase markers
These are great to use on whiteboards or sheet protectors because it makes it easier for children to practice and try again.
INSTAGRAM INSPIRATION
Find ideas for activities that encourage fine-motor development on the below accounts:
@prekwolfpack
@imaginationtree
@anastasiya.kolesnik
@finemotorbootcamp
You do not need to have the Instagram app to view these accounts. You can go to www.instagram.com and then search “prekwolfpack” for example to view pictures and get ideas to use with your child.
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