Activities to Strengthen Your Child’s Fine Motor Skills

It’s quite disconcerting to realise your child is behind their peers but the main thing is to remember that fine motor skills can be improved quite quickly with the right intervention and children soon catch up. This nursery in Richmond puts the emphasis on fun in learning and this is a good tip for parents; when your child feels like an activity is fun, they will learn faster.

One of the first signs you might notice are your child struggling to learn some basic skills such as fastening buttons and buckles, zipping up coats or cutting out shapes. Their teacher may mention that they are taking longer than expected to form letters and numbers properly. If this happens to you, don’t panic! Instead begin to help your child by providing them opportunities to improve in a fun way.

Here are some great ways to improve your child’s fine motor skills without making it appear to be hard work. 

Clay modelling – most children enjoy modelling things with clay. Provide them with plenty of stimulating tools to make it even more fun. Some ideas for fun tools include blunt cutting tools, scissors, moulds, objects with raised patterns so they can press them into the clay, rolling pins and cookie cutters. 

Bubble wrap – it might seem odd but the pincer movement required to pop the ‘bubbles’ on bubble wrap is something which often needs improving in smaller children. The satisfaction of hearing the ‘pop’ noise will keep your child trying! 

Finger painting – encourage your child to get their fingers into the pain, to draw and even write with their fingers. 

Picking flowers and making daisy chains – everyone loves a daisy chain! Using natural things found in the garden is a good way to make learning seem more like a game. 

Beads – threading large beads onto string is fun and satisfying. You can also use dry pasta if you don’t have any beads handy! Your child can also add paint and glitter to their works of art! 

Sticker fun – a selection of stickers and a scrapbook make for hours of fun. Children enjoy peeling stickers from the backing paper and can work on a collage of stickers for hours. 

Hole punches – these tools are difficult to use but even trying will help your child develop their hands. 

Kitchen tongs – make a game of moving different things around with tongs. You can even bring water play into this activity by filling a bowl with odd items and encouraging your child to ‘fish’ them out.

Older children will need more suitable activities. You might consider cross stitch, basic carpentry, clay modelling and watercolour painting as good choices. Practice makes perfect – if your child gets frustrated, change activity! Don’t try to press them to complete tasks which are making them feel irritated.