Fine Motor Skills
Downloadable documents
- Hypermobile joints
- Fine motor activities for 3-4 year olds
- Fine motor activities for 5-10 year olds
- Fine motor activities for 11-16 year olds
- Pincer grip strengthening activities.
- Isolating finger activities.
- In-hand manipulation activities.
Online videos to help develop fine motor skills.
- The Crocodile Snap for pencil grasp development
- Playdoh activities to help with developing fine motor skills
- Little Learners fine motor skills
Our hands need to develop strength and dexterity through playing, exploring and interacting with various toys. The development of fine motor skills allow us to complete important tasks such as learning to hold a crayon, use scissors and fasten buttons. Think about your day and how many tasks you do using your fingers each day.
A milestone in fine motor development is the ability to isolate the index finger, children typically develop this at a young age of 6 months old. They can point at objects such as lights or their food. They will also use this skill to operate some of their toys, such as a toy phone or cash register. Isolating finger activities.
Pincer grip is the ability to pick up a small object with the tips of the thumb and index finger. When the thumb and index finger are brought together it will create a space in between like an O. We use this skill to pick up fine objects for feeding and tying shoelaces. Pincer grip strengthening activities.
In-hand manipulation skills may be one of the most complex skill used. It allows us to move objects from the palm to the fingers without the support of the other hand. An example would be holding a bead and then threading it onto the tip of a lace. In-hand manipulation activities.
The most functional and useful grip we develop for handwriting is the tripod grip. This skill is used for day to day activities, particularly for activities such as handwriting. Teaching your child to develop a good tripod grip is one of the biggest favours you could do.