StressedMum
Fine motor skills refer to the small everyday tasks that involve the small muscles in our hands, wrists, fingers, feet and toes. It is, of course, important for your child to develop these skills as best they can in order to go about simple things in life like buttoning up a shirt, tying shoelaces and writing. Helping Your Child Develop their Fine Motor Skills
For some guidance on developing fine motor skills, I’ve collaborated with a Prep School in London to offer some tips on how you can help further your child’s development.
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ToggleWe all used to love playing with the stuff, but who knew it actually helps children develop fine motor skills!? It’s a great way to also unlock your child’s imagination, as they put their hands to work morphing the dough to their heart’s content.
The task of using pens, pencils and paint brushes can help your child learn how best to hold and use such implements. It is also a fun activityAMP that encourages them to be creative as well as they get to grips with different art tools.
Using small game pieces, or picking up puzzle pieces and figuring out where they go, is another way to engage your child’s fine motor skills in a manner which is fun and enjoyable for them. Puzzles may occasionally prove frustrating, but you can also encourage a lesson in patience, as working on a puzzle can really help improve their hand eye coordination.
Safety scissors of course! The act of cutting out shapes with a pair of scissors will allow your child to build on their fine motor skills. Always encourage responsibility in this task as well, so that they know how important it is to be safe with a pair of scissors in their hands.
Another classic playtime favourite that holds many benefits when it comes to developing your child’s fine motor skills. The act of picking up the pieces and putting them together to build something is, once again, an enjoyable and engaging task in which your child’s fine motor skills can be practised and improved.
I found my youngest sons fine motor skills developed quicker than my oldest sons. I think it was because he was always determined to join in with whatever his older brother was doing!
I agree they younger ones do love joining in and copying
All excellent games to achieve the result which we did without realising the true reason.
Playing games is such a great way for kids to learn
Great tips. I used to have terrible trouble at school holding my pen, I used to have a big rubber thing around it so I could hold it properly! Im glad my daughter’s fine motor skills seems better than mine were. Must be all the puzzles we do!
I remember the big rubber things, I never had one and wanted one