Five activities to strengthen your child’s fine motor skills

Fine motor skills involve the use of the small muscles that work alongside the brain and nervous system to help individuals control small movements in specific areas such as their hands, eyes, fingers and lips. This skill is crucial for children to develop and master as it helps them complete simple day to day tasks such as writing, tying shoelaces, eating, moving objects and getting dressed. Children of all ages will engage with their fine motor skills. For example, a baby will use their fingers and thumb to pick things up to eat or play with. An older child will use the same motor skills but at a much more advanced level to do things like cut paper with scissors or zip their coat up. These simple skills play a big role and contribute to a child’s independence and development across a wide sector of learning. It is important that children get as many opportunities as possible to develop their fine motor skills, so they become confident to explore the wide world around them. If you are on the search to find simple ways to help your child with this, then look no further. Below is a guide advised by this nursery in Islington, on five activities to strengthen your child’s fine motor skills.

1. Play foam and playdough

Play foam is something that not many are familiar with, but is of a soft and squishy consistency, making it the perfect tool to help children strengthen their fine motor skills. It has a bread like texture and never dries out, meaning children can use it over and over again! It’s the ideal tool for parents who aren’t fond of messy play. With the constant act of squishing and sculpting, little hands get the work needed to strengthen their little muscles. Play dough is of a similar consistency, except it is smoother and can be used in many ways. Keep a collection of playdough at home or get creative and make your own! You can even add in a few drops of essential oils in it to aid to your child’s sensory diet.

2. Painting

There are many types of paint out there that can help strengthen your child’s fine motor skills as well as hand eye coordination. Panting offers children the chance to work with their hands and get as messy as possible. Painting with tools is also a fantastic way to help children learn how to hold a brush and gain better control over it.

3. Play with sponges

This simple activity can be done anywhere, preferably outside to avoid excessive amounts of mess, and is great for helping little ones strengthen their fine motor skills. All you will need is a new, clean sponge and two bowls. Fill one bowl with a little bit of water and ask your child to transfer it to the second bowl by soaking the sponge and squeezing it into the empty bowl. It may seem like a simple game, but not only will it help them strengthen the muscles in their hands and forearms but keep them entertained for a while.

4. Gardening

This is an amazing extracurricular to introduce to your child and can double up as one that helps them work on their fine motor skills too. Whilst it is usually more suited for gross motor skills, the smaller tasks such as carefully planting seeds and digging holes with a trowel are great ways to get your child’s fine motor skills working too.

5. Stickers

Which child doesn’t love stickers? Combine this intricate material with a task that can help your child work on their hand eye coordination and pincer grip. By carefully placing stickers on a long drawn-out line, your child will work on these unique skills without realising.

Allowing your child to take part in these activities a few times a week, will surely get their fine motor skills strengthened in no time.