Fine motor activities truly are fantastic for little ones. Fine motor activities strengthen little hands and muscles, build hand-eye coordination, dexterity, support the development of a proper pencil grip and strengthen little hands for future writing.
Fantastic indeed!
What is even more fantastic is how easy they are to come by. Fine motor activities are everywhere! They can be as simple as playing with buttons, or more complicated like sewing and knitting.
My Quiet Bin books are FULL of quiet time activities that also strengthen fine motor skills – so please be sure to check them out. They will have your little ones strengthening fine motor skills and much more all independently.
Here are some Fantastic Fine Motor Activities we have found:
Some are incredibly simple, others require a little bit of set up, but all of them will support the development of those important fine motor skills.
Rainbow Fine Motor Sensory Bin – This quiet bin activity is colorful and engaging, and the kids use their fine motor skills to manipulate the materials any way they’d like.
Invitation to Build with Popsicle Sticks and Clothespins – A simple quiet bin invitation that lets children explore creating and building, all while strengthening their fingers and hands.
The Button Tree – Buttons are a great way to work on pre-writing skills. With this activity, children use the buttons to attach felt leaves to a felt tree.
Dyeing Wooden Spools for Fine Motor Skills Activities from Fun-A-Day – Dye small wooden spools, and then use them for a variety of child-led fine motor activities. Plain wooden spools would work just as well for developing fine motor skills, too, of course.
Snowball Names Fine Motor Literacy Activity from Fun-A-Day – Use hole reinforcement stickers to create kids’ names while working on small finger movements.
Fine Motor Fun with Water Beads from Still Playing School – Water beads are such a fun sensory experience for most kids. Add a fine motor aspect to the kids’ play with this idea.
Rainbow Suncatchers from Fireflies and Mud Pies – Threading the beads for this suncatcher gives small fingers the chance to exercise. Plus, there’s a beautiful rainbow to decorate the windows when it’s done.
Muffin Tin Geoboard from And Next Comes L – Everyone likely has a muffin tin in the kitchen. So grab some rubber bands and let the kids explore math and fine motor skills with it.
Sewing Buttons from Play to Learn Preschool – Children can use large buttons and a child’s sewing needle to create their very own button creations.
Bottle Cap Fine Motor Play from Fantastic Fun and Learning – Combine water sensory play and pipettes for a simple, but fun, fine motor experience.
Fine Motor Zipper Activity from Sugar Aunts – Love how she uses bread ties to encourage children to learn about zipper skills and fine motor work!
Cardboard Tube and Elastic Bands from Craftulate – Get those little fingers moving with this activity! Love that it just uses two materials that most people already have in the home.
Nature Threading from Munchkins and Moms – What a way to combine nature and fine motor skills! Let the kids gather various items on a nature walk, and then let the children sew those items together in a chain.
Sticker Line Up from Busy Toddler – Such a simple activity, but it’s sure to keep the kids engaged for some time.
Eggs in a Basket Montessori Tray from Carrots Are Orange – This activity can be changed depending on the child’s needs and development. Children can use their fingers to transfer the items, tweezers, chopsticks, etc.
Pine Cone Weaving from Rainy Day Mum – Just two materials are needed for this nature-inspired fine motor activity.
Fruit Loop Towers from Mess for Less – Turn play dough and a few kitchen items into a math and fine motor activity for the kids.
DIY Cutting Station from No Time for Flash Cards – Turn a simple bowl and a pair of scissors into a cutting station for the kids. Include various materials for kids to cut and play with.
Double Brush Painting from Housing a Forest – Combine art and fine motor skills with this ingenious idea!
Button Snake from Happy Hooligans – This classic children’s activity is engaging to the senses, and it’s also a great way to strengthen kids’ hands and fingers.
Fun and playful ways to get those little hands nice and strong and ready for everything awaiting in the future.
Printing and writing will all come with time. Giving those little hands lots of time to grow strong and adapt first is very important.
Thank you so much for reading friends, I hope you are having a wonderful week!
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