Activities for Preschoolers to Improve Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor control is the ability to utilize one’s hands and fingers smoothly to accomplish an activity. The following are activities which support age-appropriate fine motor skills:

Working on a vertical surface is an appropriate position for preschoolers and older children with low muscle tone. It develops shoulder and wrist strength needed for fine motor and handwriting tasks. Children can draw or paint on paper taped to the wall, use an easel, chalkboard, dry erase board, place Colorforms on the window, and play Lite Brite.  

Fine motor games can be placed on the easel (geoboards, puzzles with small handles, magna-doodle, ink stamping activities, and magnet letters).  

Fine motor manipulatives prepare children’s hands for more refined activities such as handwriting.  The following are examples of manipulatives used to develop hand skills:

Playdough: Mold and roll play dough into balls, snakes, use cookie cutters to form animals/shapes, cut play dough with a plastic knife, use toothpicks to make designs.

Tearing paper: Holding paper with the thumb, index, and middle fingers, tear paper into strips, make collages with various colors, crumple into balls and use to stuff a dinosaur, snowman, or other art creation.  Two large pictures of an animal can be made which can be taped or stapled together back to back, and stuffed with crumpled newspaper to create a 3D creature.  

Spray bottles: Sprayers with large handles are wonderful for developing hand strength. Children love spraying plants (indoors and outdoors) and dry erase boards and chalkboards. Food coloring can be mixed with water and sprayed onto the snow.

Tweezers and tongs: Oversized tweezers such as the ones found in the "Bedbugs" game can be used to pick up and release small objects such as Cheerios, cotton balls, etc. as part of a counting activity or art project.

Lacing activities: String cut-up straws, beads, Cheerios, and other small objects. Felt and cardboard lacing activities are also great for developing eye-hand and fine motor coordination.

Eye-droppers: These can be used at the water table, in the bathtub, or for art projects to drip food coloring onto paper towels.

Cooking activities: Children often love to help make cookies. Stirring the ingredients in the bowl and using a rolling pin helps to develop strength in the arms. When putting sprinkles on cookies, the sprinkles can be poured into a bowl so that the children have to pick them up with their fingertips.                         

Activities for Elementary Students to Develop  Hand Grip and Pinch Strength

• Pop-beads and other interlocking toys that can be pulled apart and pushed together
• Templates and textures surfaces for scribbling on
• Plant sprayers and squirt guns  Spray plants or water grass Mix with food coloring and make designs
• Clothespins – clip onto edges of boxes or jars
• Eyedroppers – drop colored water onto tissue paper or paper toweling to make “dribble pictures”
• Tear and crumble paper
  • Tear newspaper into strips and stuff into a snowman, scarecrow or other art creation
  • Tear recyclable mail and magazines, crumble and put in the recycling
  • Tear tissue paper and/or roll small scraps of tissue paper into tiny balls and glue onto construction paper to form a picture
• Sponges and dishcloths – squeeze or wring out water
• Hammering sets and beginning carpentry sets
• Squeeze toys
• Playdough, clay or putty
  • Mold and roll playdough into tiny balls or “snakes”
  • Draw designs with toothpicks ○ Roll out with a rolling pin or flatten with the palm of the hand
  • Use a butter knife or pizza cutter to cut lines and shapes
• Dice games – cup dice in hands and shake (activities for counting tasks can be used)
• Tweezers – pick up cheerios, beads or other small objects
• Wind-up toys
• Duplo and Lego building sets
• Construction sets with small nuts and bolts
• Stamps and stamp pads with a variety of handle sizes to encourage different pinch patterns
• Lacing activities
  • Lacing cards
  • Cut up straws, beads, Cheerios, Fruit Loops, etc can be used for stringing
• Cooking activities
  • Tear lettuce ○ Roll cookie dough into balls
  • Press out pizza crust
  • Shake sprinkles onto cookies
• Games with finger puppets 

Activities for the Older Student  to Develop Hand Grip and Pinch Strength  

• Palm flat on the table, or over the edge of table or book; raise and lower fingers one by one  
• Place hand flat on table; spread fingers apart, then bring them back together
• Make an “O” by touching thumb to fingertips one at a time  
• Make a fist, squeeze tightly, then straighten fingers  
• Unroll an ace bandage across the table by straightening out fingers  
• Crumble a sheet of paper into a small ball by placing one hand flat on the table and gathering fingers into the palm  
• Pick up various size objects (such as coins, beans, marbles, buttons, nails, bolts) and put them into a container.  
• Play games that utilize fingermotionwill help improve finger coordination and strength such as Checkers, Chess, Puzzles, Cribbage
• Manipulate nuts and bolts and turn screws
• Open and close safety pins  
• Button and unbutton buttons
• Handwriting, copy newspapers or magazine articles, write letters, etc
• Tie knots
• Make a fist, squeeze tightly, then straighten fingers
• Type on a keyboard
• Wring or squeeze water from a wet sponge
• Cut heavy paper or cloth with large scissors
• Use tweezers to pick up small items
• Pinch a ball of clay or putty and attempt to pull it apart
• Complete household activities such as: wash/dry dishes, dust, sweep, vacuum, fold clothes, wash windows, wrap, paint, carry groceries
• Wrap a rubber band around your fingers and spread them apart
• Clip clothespins onto the edge of a box, manila folder, rope or pencil
• Practice shuffling cards and then remove them from the deck one at a time 

Self-Help Resources: Hygiene  

Helping our children improve their own self care abilities can be a challenge at times for many different reasons or situations. Here are some tips to check out to help.

Toilet training

• How to Help: 15 Amazing Strategies for Toileting 

Routines:

• Self care
• Bathing
• Toothbrushing

Haircut Recommendations

• The Silent Haircutting Kit for Children

Learning to tie shoes can be a challenge because it involves so many skills. There are a variety of shoe tying strategies out there and every person is different.

Try picking one technique and stick with it for a couple weeks before trying a different method. It’s helpful to use the same words or script each time when practicing tying shoes.

See these videos & resources below for more helpful suggestions.

Shoe tying method using the 2 knot approach:

• Explanation from an occupational therapist perspective
• Student demonstrating how to tie shoes
• Step by Step Instruction

Sample Shoe Tying Script:

1. Make an “X” with your shoe laces (over, under and you pull)
2. Put one lace under the “X” and pull tight
3. Make another “X” and pull to create a circle (hole) with your laces
4. Put one end through the circle (hole) and to the side to make a loop (bunny ear)
5. Put the other end through the circle and to the side to make two loops (bunny ears)
6. Pull on the two loops (bunny ears)

• Bunny Ear Approach
• Book resource using Bunny Ear Approach
• Tabs in Holes Approach
• Additional shoe tying tips and activities

Here are some great options for adaptive clothing and shoe lace options that may assist with making dressing much easier.

When you’re choosing clothing, think about buying clothing that the child is able to put on independently.

Footwear Specific

• Shoelace alternatives

Elastic shoe laces

• Curly Laces
• Stretch Lace
• Hickies laces
• Lock laces
• EZ Sox
• Easy-up Shoes
• Billy Footwear
• Nicer Shoes
• Nike
• Butler brand-may be helpful for foot orthotics, but not necessarily for full orthotics
• Seal shoe covers (orthotics)

Adaptive Clothing

• Zappos-Clothing and shoes
• Target
• Landsend
• Tommy clothes
• Myself Belts
• Special Kids  
• Kozie clothes
• Underarmour

There are many steps involved with putting on your outerwear, especially during the wintertime, to get ready to play outside during recess.

Sometimes this can get frustrating for people having a hard time. Breaking down the steps can help make the process seem less overwhelming, promote better participation and independence.

Here are some ideas on how to help your kids be more independent with this area.

• Method  for putting on a coat 
• Three different methods for putting on a coat 
• Visual for putting on outerwear for recess including snow pants 

Fasteners

Managing fasteners such as buttons and zippers can be tricky sometimes because it involves coordinating both hands and being able to see what you are doing.

Check out some of these tips for different strategies available to help your child work on this skill.

Zippers

• Teach Your Kid How to Use a Zipper
• Teach Kids How to Use a Zipper

Buttons

• Teach Kids How to Use Buttons
• 2 Minute Tutorial

Calming Activities to Assist with Bedtime

• Routines are important.  Start simple and work up.  Plan to take a bath and go to bed at the same time every night.
• Engage in heavy work such as pushing, pulling, carrying heavy objects before the bedtime routine begins
• Turn of all electronics
• Use low lighting.
• Allow the child to listen to calming music or books on tape.
• Use a soft voice and slow down your speech and movements while talking.
• Avoid rushing the child. 
• Provide a dimly lit, enclosed cuddly space (such as a refrigerator box) filled with lots of pillows or floor tent.
• Create a hideaway using towels, sheets, blankets and other materials for placing over a table or two chairs put together as a fort for the child to rest in.
• Help the child wrap themself in a blanket to calm the child.
• Apply gentle, but firm pressure to shoulders.
• Rock in a rocker.
• Read a book
• Allow the child to have quiet fidget toys, chew toys/tubing, or squishy/stress balls to squeeze.

Books for parents: 

• “Child of Mine;  Feeding with Love and Good Sense”
• “Deceptively Delicious”   By Jessica Seinfeld  By Ellyn Satter  
• “The Sneaky Chef: Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids Favorite Meals”   By Missy Chase Lapine  
  • Focuses on using pureed vegetables and fruits within baked foods.  
  • Information can also be found at www.thesneakychef.com
• “Just Take a Bite: Easy, Effective Answers to Food Aversions and Eating Challenges” By Lori Ernsperger and Tania Stegen-Hansen 
• ● “Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating: A Step-by-Step Guide for Overcoming Selective Eating, Food Aversion, Food Aversion, and Feeding Disorders” By Katja Rowell and Jenny McGlothlin

Books for students:  

• “I will Never Eat a Tomato” By Lauren Child
• “D.W., The Picky Eater”  By Marc Brown
• “Prince Peter the Picky Eater” By Lada Adamic
• “Daniel Tries a New Food”  By Jason Fruchter
• “Cami Kangaroo has too Many Sweets” By Stacy C. Bauer
• “How Did that Get in my Lunchbox?: The Story of Food” By Chris Butterworth 

Activities that involve the whole body can help a child calm and self-regulate.

• Wash kitchen table or counters  
• Load and unload dishwasher
• Take out garbage
• Help rake leaves and shovel snow
• Fill big trucks, wheeled carts etc. with heavy blocks and push with both hands
• Chew on gum or chewy candy - licorice, fruit roll-ups, Starburst or Tootsie Rolls
• Snack on crunchy foods - dry cereal, vegetables, pretzels, or popcorn
• Suck through a  straw
• Help carry laundry and/or groceries
• Work with play dough or putty
• Open doors for family members
• Sports activities that include running and jumping
• Crab walk, bear walk, army crawl or wheelbarrow walk
• Jumping jacks
• Climb or hanging on playground equipment
• Push against a wall
• Chair push-ups
• Jump on a trampoline
• Give child pressure with hug 

Children can have difficulty with waiting or sitting still for any length of time. A waiting kit may be a helpful tool to keep your child occupied.

Suggested items:

• Chewy candies, gum, suckers or other snacks  
• Silly Putty
• Small fidgets
• Stuffed animal
• Hand lotion
• Stretchy toys  
• Lacing card with yarn/string  
• Earplugs/Headphones  
• Bottled drink
• Coloring books/mazes/activity books with writing utensils
• Reading/picture books

It may be helpful to leave the bag in your car so the items are new and exciting each time they get to use it and the bag is readily available when needed.  

Keep routines/possessions in the home organized and structured. Try to include the child as much as possible in the routines.  

• Be consistent with daily rules and consequences.  ○ Discuss house rules, determine appropriate behavior/routines in advance.  
• Keep a large calendar or schedule posted, use photos or words.  Highlight the daily and weekly routine. Review the following day schedule each evening before bed.
• Make errands and transitions concrete and use pictures when possible.  For children who need predictability/routines, make a photo book of places you go. When a daily schedule is disrupted, show the child the change ahead of time.  ○ For appointments that are difficult try providing sensory inputs. For example, before going to the dentist try chewy foods or vibration to the mouth.
• Create specific routines for difficult times of the day (e.g. bedtime, bath time, morning self-care before school).  Break the routine into small steps and post a checklist (pictures or words) for your child to follow.  
• Bedtime: Turn off electronics in the bedroom. Try to keep your child’s room dark;  use heavier blankets or soft material; rock slowly and/or message before bed. If brushing teeth is a problem, try an electric toothbrush.  
• Bath time: Scrub with a washcloth or bath brush. Try a variety of soaps and lotions. Play on the wall with shaving cream or soap. Rub skin after a bath (deep pressure massage).
• Mealtime:  Encourage your child to drink from a straw and provide lots of very chewy and resistive foods if tolerated. If your child has difficulty sitting through meals try having the child stand or use a weighted lap pad.  
• Meal preparation or baking:  Let your child help with mixing ingredients, rolling dough, flattening, and/or tenderize meat.
• In the Yard:  Sensory exploration in the yard can include digging in a garden or sandbox, swimming in a pool or playing in a pool filled with beans or popcorn kernels; playing on a swing set or jungle gym. 

Move / Motor  

• Schedule periods of concentration followed by a movement activity.
• Encourage 10-15 minutesofphysicalactivity. Goforawalkaroundtheblock,shootsome               hoops, go for a quick bike ride, etc.
• Avoid asking a child to stay indoors as a negative consequence.
• Ask a child to run errands (deliver a note to office, sharpen pencil, etc) Oral  
• Crunchy foods such as popcorn, carrots, nuts, pretzels and pickles.
• Chewy foods such as raisins, bagels, chunks of cheese, licorice, gummy bears.
• Suck on hard candy.
• Drink from a straw (exercise water bottle).
• Allow gum (if possible) with the rule that “if it is seen or heard, it gets thrown away.” Some children need more than one piece of gum to be effective. If they are pulling the gum out of their mouth or playing with it, they need tactile input–(see ideas under touch)

Touch / Tactile  

• Fidgeting and holding objects such as kooshballs, squishy balls, paper clips, flexible straws, or stuffed animals.  

Look / Visual  

• Consider variations in lighting, color and paper.
• Vary using pen / ink and pencil.
• Limit visual distractions; activity in the room and television.
• Post daily schedule with pictures.
• Use carpet squares or taped area to reinforce personal space in seating area.
• Minimize amount of toys and decorations in the environment.
• Seat child away from windows or doors to minimize visual distractions.

Listen / Auditory  

• Limit auditory distractions; work in a quiet environment.
• Allow child to listen to calming music.
• Allow background noise if it is calming to the child.  
• Have child wear earplugs/headphones if they are sensitive to sounds. Make eye contact when speaking with child.