Activities to Improve Fine Motor Coordination

The important thing to remember while working with your child is to make the activity fun and something they will want to participate in. If they have a particular activity they enjoy doing, then try and figure out a way to make that area therapeutic (and most of the time this is very possible). Below are some ideas of things that can be used around the house to help improve your child’s fine motor coordination.

• Shuffle and deal cards

• Trace a design with a pen, marker, pencil, or crayon

• Make a chain of paper clips

• Pick up small beans and put them in a cup or straw

• Pick up coins and place them in a piggy bank or wallet

• Put clothes pins on the side of a cup

• Screw and unscrew nuts and bolts

• Pick up toothpicks with tweezers

• Fold, crumple, or tear paper or tissue

• String macaroni noodles on a string of pipe cleaner

• Lace shoes and tie them

• Stack coins or wrap them in coin wrappers

• Pick up marbles and hold as many as possible in one hand

• Play a board game with small pegs or playing pieces

• Bounce a small ball and catch it

• Practice clothing fasteners; buttons, zippers, Velcro, buckles, etc.

• Practice putting on and taking off jewelry, watch, bracelet, etc.

• String beads or buttons

• Sew with needle and thread

• Cut out coupons

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