Ways to Help Your Child Develop Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills play an important role in a child’s development and success in the classroom. Children who experience issues with these skills have a hard time developing strong muscles in their hands and wrists, leading to hand fatigue and complications with writing.  This can also take a toll on their self esteem.

Playing with your child at home, is one of the most important ways to help them strengthen these muscles. Get them excited about learning something new by introducing them to these fun (and effective!) activities.

String Macaroni: Making macaroni necklaces is a great way to encourage creativity in your child, while working on their hand-eye coordination. Have them choose from different sizes of pasta to strengthen their muscles and create a personalized piece. Don’t have any pasta handy? Beads and cut-up pieces of straws are a great alternative, giving you the same outcome.

Play With Play-Dough: Play-dough has always been a fun kid favorite, and it’s actually beneficial for them too! The soft, squeezable texture is not only perfect for stretching finger muscles, but for helping your child overcome sensory issues as well. Having them use both hands to roll balls or pound the dough will also promote bilateral coordination.

Color With Broken Crayons: Think again before you throw out that bin of old, broken crayons! Holding fragments of crayons actually helps your child develop the proper grip. Instructing them to color in small circles while pinching the crayon will build muscle endurance and dexterity.

Punch Holes: One of the biggest obstacles your child will face when entering preschool is learning to cut. Using a hole punch allows them to develop the skills required for cutting and writing. These hole punching activities are a great way to develop the arches of the hand and provide stability of the fingers--and they’re fun too!

At Miss Sue’s Nursery School, our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child — socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. A multi-sensory, holistic approach to learning is provided through play, art, music and physical activities. To learn more about the school and give your child the best pre-k experience, give us a call at 516-938-0894.