10 Ways to Strengthen Fine Motor Skills
In the world of touchscreen technology many children are not gaining fine motor skills before beginning formal instruction with writing (Martzog, 2022). We don’t want to force students to gain those fine motor skills through handwriting practice because they may become frustrated with handwriting. But what else can we do? Handwriting practice can start with large motor activities, such as tracing letters in the air, using shaving cream, or writing on a whiteboard. Once the students gain the fine motor skills needed, the large motor practice with handwriting will translate to fine motor. Here are some fun ways to strengthen fine motor skills.
Playdough
A way to strengthen hand muscles, practice different grips, and have fun is playing with playdough! Make different shapes, cut it with a plastic knife, and stretch out the dough! All of these will help build the muscles and skills needed for handwriting.
Clothespins
Clothespins are a great way to practice the pinching muscles that students need to grip a pencil! You can make it fun by having the child clip them to different things in the room or to their favorite stuffed animal. Maybe have them make some pictures and hang them up on a string for display!
Fun With Colors
Help students to create different-colored water with food coloring. Then have the students use an eye dropper to mix the colors in a new container. They can see what new colors they can make while practicing the pinching skills they need for writing!
Puzzles
Choose any puzzle of interest! Any jigsaw puzzle will be great fine motor practice for students!
Build It
Use smaller building blocks for students to be creative and use their building skills while practicing fine motor skills!
Dot-to-Dot
Encourage students to practice their pencil grip by allowing them to do dot-to-dot games and artwork!
Color It
Students can practice their creativity and show their artistic skills by coloring or painting. Both of these skills help students practice their pencil grip and use fine motor skills that students need for handwriting!
Bead Work
Students can create bracelets and necklaces or practice making patterns by stringing beads on string, wire, or pipe cleaners!
Rubber Band Push-ups
Provide students a rubber band to put around their thumb, pointer, and middle finger, stretch the fingers out, and then resist the rubber band as they come back together. Doing this exercise can strengthen finger muscles. Make it a competition to see how many “push-ups” a student can do in a certain amount of time or in competition with each other!
Fidgets
Encourage students to play with fidgets and stress balls in order to strengthen their hand muscles. This will assist them in improving their handwriting and other fine motor skills!
Remember, once students gain the hand muscles and fine motor skills needed for handwriting, all of the large motor practice with handwriting will transfer to the fine motor! Enjoy these fun activities with your students!
Citations/Resources
Philipp Martzog, Sebastian Paul Suggate, Screen media are associated with fine motor skill development in preschool children, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Volume 60, 2022, Pages 363-373, ISSN 0885-2006, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2022.03.010.
