Activities for improving small motor skills in young kids?

[va32h]

Just got back from my son's parent-teacher conference; he's in kindergarten.

He's doing well overall, but needs to improve his fine motor skills.

The teacher suggested playing with clay or play-doh, as well as continued practice coloring, cutting with scissors, drawing, etc.

Ds is not very artsy-crafty, so I am not sure he will be enthusiastic about those activities.

Does anyone have any other suggestions or ideas for working on fine motor skills?

 

[Daxx]

Threading wooden beads onto a shoe string, threading a shoe string through those punch out cards, inserting pegs into holes are three activities I can think of off the top of my head. HTH!

 

[Rachie0507]

Doing puzzles is also good for fine motor skills. You didn't mention the age of your DS but my DS is 3 and he enjoys puzzles and stringing beads like the other poster mentioned.

 

[merrily]

I found this website that might be helpful for you. http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/schools/beal/readiness/finemotoractivities.html

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We use dry beans with our girls...very soothing activity. For a general activity--you can also glue on paper or something.

Think of things that you pick up with 2 fingers as the primary activity and that would be an excellent activity.

 

[tamman]

Use tweezers to pick up cotton balls or other objects

 

[va32h]

Thanks for the ideas - the playdoh wasn't gonna last forever!

Think of things that you pick up with 2 fingers as the primary activity and that would be an excellent activity.

So would sorting an enormous change jar into pennies, nickels, dimes quarters, and then putting them in the coin sleeves count?

 

[barkley]

my ds went through the same thing (now in 3rd and this is the first year we have seen a big leap in improvement, in fact he is going to start cursive writing in the next few days). i bought clay (vs. playdough) because it is tougher to mold (better to build those skills with), small legos, the cards to thread thru, and a couple of games that required him to put things together. i also found that by giving him small pencils (like the type at put-put golf) and small crayons he had to hold them with his fingers vs. the whole hand holding style.

we took him to a physical therapist who advised us to encourage him to swing on the swing set or jump up and down on a small exercise trampoline before we did the small moter skill activities (apparantly it stimultes something in the brain that effects small motor skills)-we tried it and did find that he did better with the activites following the back and forth or up and down activities. we also encourage his use of the computer and hand held video games (the finger action on the mouse was shaky at first but then got much better, same thing with the small buttons on gameboy). stickers are also good to use-get some of a character he enjoys and have him pull the stickers from the sheet himself (get the type that have several small ones on one page).

one last thing-do lots of finger food! the action of picking up and dipping into a sauce or dressing is also a small motor skill (mini marshmellows dipped in ice cream topping works great as a special dessert or treat).

best of luck!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Thanks for the ideas - the playdoh wasn't gonna last forever!



So would sorting an enormous change jar into pennies, nickels, dimes quarters, and then putting them in the coin sleeves count?

Yes---anything that would require him to use fine motore--aka his pincers (pointer finger and thumb).

We had a workbook with cutting exercises--I am sure if you look around, that would help with his cutting skills.

You might incorporate his fine motor activities with his math.

Kill two birds with one stone (a gross motor activity though ).

 

[golfgal]

Break all his crayons so they are only a couple inches long, no more then 2. Take some older pencils and sharpen then down to 2" or less. This will really help the small motor while he is doing those activities. Writing on a chalk board is also good for developing those muscles because they can't rest their arm on the table to write. Get a typing program for your home computer. That will help the fine motor things as well as hand/eye coordination.

 

[tw1nsmom]

You can have him pick up small toys with kitchen or ice tongs. Other ideas:

-Legos
-kidknex
-spray bottle - let him "water" all the outdoor plants...put food coloring in the water in winter and he can decorate the snow.
-give him the "job" of cutting up and throwing out the junk mail.
-puzzles
-fingerpaint...I make my kids paint in the bathtub with their swimsuits on.
-tearing paper
-silly putty


Sorting the coins would be a great activity, just try to make things fun.

 

[ahutton]

Something that he might find fun and can do on his own as well as with someone would be the game Operation. There is a Shrek version of it too!

Do you have a garden area he can work in? He could work through getting out weeds and rocks and then plant some seeds he can tend. Maybe grow a pumpkin or something for next year? Or a favorite fruit or veggie?

Would he enjoy mosiac type work? He could start now on gifts for the upcoming holidays.

 

[Narvon]

My son is four and he is really into perler beads right now. I can't believe how good his hand eye coordination is - those beads are really small. He has a car and truck set that he loves. He places the tiny plastic beads on a small peg board and when his design is complete, I use the iron to melt them together. He plays with his creations all the time. Some even glow in the dark. You can get them at Wal-Mart or any craft store.

Here's a link:

Perler Beads

 

[DarkSideMoon]

video games......

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

video games......

You know, my nephew's therapist said the same thing. Most older video games moved in a left to right manner which helps with reading. Manipulating the game controler in sync with the game improves hand-eye coordination and small motor skills.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My son is four and he is really into perler beads right now. I can't believe how good his hand eye coordination is - those beads are really small. He has a car and truck set that he loves. He places the tiny plastic beads on a small peg board and when his design is complete, I use the iron to melt them together. He plays with his creations all the time. Some even glow in the dark. You can get them at Wal-Mart or any craft store.

Here's a link:

Perler Beads

Is there a template that the kids follow?

My daughter is 5...so I'm wondering if this would be up her craft alley .

 

[Narvon]

Some of the peg boards are shaped (butterfly, star, etc.) so there is no need for a template. Our car and truck kit has a clear peg board and a pattern sheet was included. We just tape down the clear peg board over the pattern and make a vehicle.

Hope this helps!