Fine motor activities are important in developing writing skills

 

So these easy, DIY activities using household items will be great for practicing and developing fine motor skills!

 

When it comes to creating activities for children to practice and develop fine motor skills, you do not need to spend tons of money. These simple DIY activities using items that you have at home make this perfect for homeschooling or virtual learning families!

 

The importance of fine motor activities

Fine motor development is an important skill that children will need in all aspects of their development.  Fine motor skills aid in the development of the small muscles in their hands, fingers, and thumbs.  The development of these skills help a child with correct pencil grip, writing; and such activities as buttoning, zipping, and tying.  From a young age, young children naturally use their whole hand to grasp, grab and pick up items.  Their small hands need practice developing dexterity and strength frequently.

 

 

Fine motor activities in the Montessori environment

There are many activities that can be introduced in your classroom or homeschool, and even during play time.  In a Montessori primary classroom, there are many areas that include the inclusion of fine motor activities.  In the Language area, there are the Metal Insets.  In the Math area, there is the one to nine Hanging Bead frames.  In the Sensorial area, there are the Knobbed Cylinders.  The most prominent area of the classroom where most fine motor activities are introduced is the Practical Life area.  The Practical Life area is an area where the teacher can use his or her creativity and personality to add fun, engaging activities to the children.

 

 

Most of the the other areas in a Montessori classroom have very specific works that allow for motor skill development. There are ways to add fine motor activities the Montessori curriculum areas of the classroom, and in the Practical Life area you can be as creative as you would like.  One of my favorite areas in a Montessori primary classroom is the Practical Life area.  When I was a classroom teacher, I always integrated various activities in my Practical Life area. I was able to add many new activities to my list of works, and did away with a few as well.   All of the items used in each of these activities use inexpensive items that you can find around your house or at dollar stores.

 

10 DIY activities that promote fine motor development

 

1. Cutting practice

 

Materials needed:

• scissors
• hot dog trays
• envelopes
• cutting strips

Procedure:

1. Show child how to hold scissors.
2. Cut along the lines.
3. Once all of the lines have been cut,  put cutting strips into the provided envelope.

 

2. Buttoning practice

Materials needed:

• old shirt
• tray

Procedure:

1. Show child how to push button through slit, unbuttoning a few
2. Have child complete the rest
3. Show child how to push button through slit, buttoning a few
4. Have the child complete the rest

 

3. Using chopsticks

Pin this video!

Materials needed:

• tray
• chopsticks
• 2 small bowls
• pom poms
• chopsticks helper( if needed)

Procedure:

1. Show child how to pick up pom poms using chopsticks
2. Transfer pom poms into other bowl
3. Have the child pick up pom poms using chopsticks

 

4. Single hole punching

Materials needed:

• small bowls
• single hole punches
• small square pieces of paper
• basket for paper

Procedure:

1. Get a paper square
2. Show the child how to use the paper punch
3. Hole punch the paper over the bowl
4. Empty paper holes into trash

 

5. Peeling an orange

Materials needed:

• spoon
• tray
• napkin
• bowl
• sponge
• oranges

Procedure:

1. Show child how to use the spoon to dig into orange flesh
2. Use fingers to peel away at the flesh, using the spoon as needed
3. Place orange peels in napkin
4. Separate orange slices and place in bowl
5. Use sponge to wipe tray and spoon
6. Place napkin in trash

 

6. Squeezing a sponge

Materials needed:

• sponge
• 2 bowls
• food coloring (optional)

Procedure:

1. Show child how to soak up colored water with sponge
2. Squeeze out sponge into other bowl
3. Have the child soak up colored water with sponge
4. Have the child squeeze out sponge into other bowl
5. Wipe up any spilled water with sponge

 

7. Transferring using tweezers

Materials needed:

• 2 small bowls
• tray
• tweezers
• beans of some sort

Procedure:

1. Show child how to pick up a bean using tweezers
2. Transfer it to the other bowl
3. Have the child pick up a bean using tweezers
4. Have the child transfer it to the other bowl

 

8. Salt or sand tray for writing practice

Materials needed:

• sand or salt
• tray
• letter or number flash cards

Procedure:

1. Show child how to duplicate letter or number flashcard in sand
2. Have child practice writing letter or number

 

 

9. Bead stringing

Materials needed:

• colorful beads
• tray
• bowl
• yarn, string or twine

Procedure:

1. Show child how to thread beads onto string
2. Have the child thread beads onto string
3. To increase difficulty, have show them how to create a pattern

 

10. Pin Poking

Materials needed:

• giant push pin
• tray
• paper with pre drawn shapes
• piece of cork board or thick foam
• small bowl for the push pin

Procedure:

1. Show child how to use the pin poker to poke along the black line
2. Have the child poke along the black line
3. Once the shape has been poked all the way around, help them remove the shape

 

 

What to take from this

The most important thing to remember is to develop and enforce safety rules and procedures while giving the lesson of each activity.  That is especially the case for the butter knife with the Banana Slicing, and the pin poker with the Pink Poking work. Also be sure that you reinforce the safety rules and procedures as needed.  The great thing about these DIY fine motor activities is that they can easily be incorporated or even modified to fit into any classroom or homeschool environment!

In the end, choose activities that not only help promote fine motor development, but that your child or children will find fun and interesting!

 

Let me know if you try out any of these activities, and your children reacted to them. Also, if you have any DIY fine motor activity ideas you would added to the list, let me know about them in the comments!

Anitra J.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save