Promoting Fine Motor Skills

Clothes Pin Words:                                                                       The cards are actually name tags. Print out photos of everyday objects, glue them to cardstock, and write in the name of the drawing on each tag. Make sure to laminate them so that active two year olds don't destroy them in the first 3.2 seconds. Then write the letters on some clothes pins. Have children make words by matching the letters on the card to the letters on the clothespins. It's an introduction to sight words, practice at letter recognition, and a real confidence builder for the child who can exclaim " Look!  I spelled dog!"

 Pinchers:
 Provide kitchen tongs, a tray, and small objects such as pom poms or ping pong balls for children to practice pinching and lifting items of varying size. This activity is great for promoting fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Such simple activities give children a head-start in writing and provide hours of fun along the way.

Button It:
This button board is a wonderful way to teach shapes and colors along with hand-eye coordination.

Here's what you do~

•  Take a big piece of felt and sew large buttons on it.
•  Get an old puzzle box and hot glue the felt onto the top lid.
•  Cut colored felt shapes with a button hole slit in the middle for attaching to the button box.
•  Use the puzzle box as a place to store the shapes.
•  You're all set for your little one to start buttoning away.

Developing fine motor skills is essential for writing readiness. Children need to learn basic muscle control such as pinching, grasping, poking, lifting and so much more..........These activities are a wonderful way to have fun and also prepare your child for holding a pencil, drawing their first picture or writing their first word. Take the time to help your child learn through activities he is sure to enjoy.