Fine Motor Skills for Preschoolers: 5 Activities To Work On
Building fine motor skills for preschoolers is SO important! Keep reading to learn why and get 5 of my best activities for your child to work on at home.
Fine motor skills for preschoolers are so important to learn for many reasons. Chances are you came across this blog because you are looking to practice and enhance your child’s fine motor skills, and that’s awesome! I’m going to give you some great activities to get you working on them that won’t only help strengthen their skills, but it will help strengthen your child’s confidence too! Let’s dive in and learn more.
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What are fine motor skills?
Fine motor skills are the small muscle movements in our hands and fingers. Think the pincer grasp (using your index finger and thumb to pick things up.) You use fine motor skills for A LOT of things daily, such as eating, writing, and dressing (and so much more!) So it is important to start practicing in the early years and continue to work on them as your child grows!
In this blog I’m going to give you 5 simple activities you can work on at home to strengthen your preschoolers fine motor skills. Each activity is super easy to set up and you probably have all the supplies you’ll need right at home. Now, let’s get those fine motor skills working!
Fine Motor Skills for Preschoolers
1. Popit Beads
Chances are you have those fidget pop-it toys laying around your house (I know we have a handful of them!). Well, put them to good use – instead of just using it as a fidget toy, repurpose it. I got this idea from my daughter’s preschool teacher and I thought it was genius! Grab some beads (or any smaller item) and have your child fill each pop-it hole with a bead. Placing them in and taking them out is a great way to work on their pincer grasp and even hand-eye coordination.
2. Using Scissors
I know using scissors with your preschooler can be a little scary, but it is such a great skill to learn! Practice by cutting up old newspapers. Then get a little trickier. Draw lines on a piece of paper and have your child cut out along the line. Make the lines as intricate or simple as your child needs! There are also so many options for safety scissors to ease your mind a little about your child using scissors. These Crayola ones are plastic, and while they aren’t sharp, they do cut paper and are great for beginners and will also give you peace of mind.
3. Building Blocks
Small wooden blocks are a great way to build fine motor skills. Make it a game with your child and see who can build the tallest tower. Add some math concepts by talking about shapes and counting the blocks. Knocking the blocks down and building them back up is a great way to work on those fine motor skills too. You’ll also build spatial awareness skills, learn about gravity, and balance too!
4. Play the Board Game “Operation”
Do you remember this game? It was one of my favorites as a kid! I play with my 4 year old now and it is pretty difficult for her but it is SUCH GOOD fine motor practice while also being FUN! It’s a game we can enjoy together just the 2 of us, or as a family and it certainly gives us lots of laughs. I highly recommend it for preschoolers and beyond!
5. Ripping Paper
I know this probably seems so silly and mundane, but it’s tough for a child! Give your preschooler some paper and just have them tear it up, you’ll be surprised how much fine motor work it takes. You can even use the ripped up paper to make a cute craft afterward, like this cute apple craft. Win-win if you ask me!
Final Thoughts
Are you ready to help your child really master their fine motor skills and need a few more activity ideas? Check out my free PDF with 12 activities that will help your child build and strengthen their hand muscles quickly! Just opt in to my email list and you will get them instantly to your email for FREE!
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- Things To Do With Kids Right Now
Additional Resources: Check out my friend, Marisa at Teaching Totes for even MORE learning and play ideas!
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