Fine motor skills are a core part of a child’s development. They show a child just how they can hold a variety of things safely and with precision, as well as guiding a child through being able to hold more difficult objects and explore how they can be held in different ways. In this guide from a private nursery in Islington, we explore activities that will help you strengthen your skills.
Tying shoelaces
Practicing something that will eventually become trivial to a child is the perfect time to make it fun. Explore ways your child can get involved by making it a game, or sing a song together as they tie their shoes. It also shows how much your child can listen to you for support.
Baking
Making cakes will always light up a child’s eyes, but there are actually plenty of ways to explore your child’s fine motor skills in baking. Whisking eggs, pouring milk, mixing it altogether or even rolling out the mixture can all test a child’s ability to hold different tools in various ways.
Playing with sand
Sand can be hard and mushy when it’s wet, but it can also be really dry and smooth when no water is present. It’s a great way of showing your child how sand works in different states, and gives your child the chance to get a feel for these changes in real time. Let your child run their fingers through the sand, and get them to put sand into buckets for another lesson in fine motor skills.
Writing
It’s something your child will naturally pick up as they grow older, but it’s also something that your child can benefit from in terms of enhancing their fine motor skills. With a strong focus on your child’s handwriting, they can learn to hold the pen or pencil with a tight grip, giving them the chance to perfect their writing style and skills in writing.
