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The small muscles in the hands and fingers must be developed for fine motor control. Many daily activities like grasping items, getting dressed, opening doors, eating need fine motor control, strength, and dexterity.
Did you know that these skills are vital for school?
Fine motor skills help our little ones to learn to write legibly, draw pictures, turn pages, use scissors, use a computer/ tablet, and even manipulate a mouse.
When working with fine motor skills, remember that those tiny muscles need to be gradually developed and that they tire far more quickly than leg muscles will.
Patience is also often in short supply in preschoolers – we need to make the activities fun and to admire their handiwork!
Everyday tasks at home will help to develop these skills:
feeding themselves with a fork or spoon
helping to set the table
getting dressed
opening containers with lids
jigsaw puzzles
building with small blocks
playing board games
painting with a paintbrush or even a q-tip
building and creating with play dough
threading pipe cleaners or yarn through cardboard
Fingerplays are another fun way to develop these skills:
More fun activities and songs to come – watch this space…