Fine Motor Skills

A friend stopped by quickly yesterday while I was doing an activity with the kids.  It was a simple activity.  We were putting stickers on a sheet of paper.  My friend mentioned how she hated stickers and that her kids used to stick them all over the place.  I explained to her that they are a great tool for fine motor skills for the little ones.  Of course, I have a standing rule in my house; Stickers go on paper or on your shirt!  I explained to her how they have to use their fingers to peel and place the small stickers, it is preparing them for writing.  She was amazed and never even thought of that.  I then went on and explained a bunch of activities we do, while they seem simple and non-educational, they are in fact, the best way to prepare little hands for writing.  I decided to list some of the ways I prepare my 3 year olds to write.

• Stickers--Large and Small

• Playdoh sculpting

• Scissor Cutting-- Just hand them a piece of paper and let them cut it up.  I usually save the scraps for a glue project, which is also good for those fingers.
• Beading Cheerios--For a snack, give them cheerios in a bowl, let them string them up and then eat them.
• Anything with clothespins.  Even if they are just opening and closing them.
• Play with tongs--Large or small.  Or small tweezers.
• Knob Puzzles
• Legos and other manipulatives
  
  Some of these are known, but I feel that a lot of parents forget they need to work these muscles so that they can properly hold a pencil and write as they get older.
  
  
  
  
  

  

  A 3 year old.

  
  

  

  My 2 year old.

  P.S.  As I was going through some supplies yesterday, I found this decal.  A much better tree for our class tree!