Fine Motor Skills

What are fine motor skills?

Fine motor skills involve movements of the small muscles of the hand, wrists and fingers that require control and precision. Good fine motor strength and dexterity allow us to grasp and manipulate small objects correctly. Kids use their fine motor skills to do many school-related tasks such as cutting, writing and self help skills. Below are different areas we work on to improve fine motor skills.

Hand strength: Refers to the ability of the hand to grip and pinch and how well these tasks can be performed.

In-hand manipulation : Refers to the ability to pick up and move small objects within one hand without help from the other hand.

Thumb opposition: Refers to the rotating movement of the thumb in order to touch each fingertip of the same hand. This movement allows us to pick up and grasp items to use them.

Web space: Refers to the space formed when the rotated thumb and index finger touch. It is important to have an open web space when grasping items correctly because this allows for greater accuracy and control and causes less fatigue.

Pincer grasp: Refers to picking up small objects with only the index finger and thumb, creating an open web space.

Finger isolation: Refers to the ability to use one finger at a time in isolation.

Using the proper grasp is important when completing fine motor activities. As children grow, they first learn to grasp objects using their whole hand (Palmer Grasp), later developing into a neat Pincer Grasp.

The Pincer Grasp is used to hold and manipulate small objects more effectively and efficiently and is necessary when grasping items such as a pencil or crayon. The Palmer Grasp is used when more power is needed to hold or manipulate larger objects.

Click on the link to see the Developmental Stages of Grasp Patterns in young children.

Pincer Grasp

Following are some activities to help improve fine motor skills:

Use clay, therapy putty, silly putty, play-doh, floam, kinetic sand and/or slime to complete the following activities

Squeeze, pinch, pull apart, use a press to squeeze out shapes or press small objects to make "fossils"
Roll into peas between your thumb and pointer finger
Roll into long "worms", "snakes" or "hot dogs" to make letters or shapes
Try hiding small objects (beads, coins, beans, buttons) inside and then find them
Roll flat with a rolling pin and then use cookie cutters to make shapes
Cut with scissors or plastic/toy cutters

Use clothespins, tweezers or tongs to complete some of the following activities

Pick up small objects such as cotton balls, pompoms, crumbled paper, beads, pegs, etc. to match, sort, count or place on paper to make a picture
Place clothespins around an index card to match colors, shapes or letters
Place clothespins along the top of a container and then on top of each other to construct a tower
Pick up Cheerios, Fruit Loop or pasta with holes to lace onto thick spaghetti or wooden skewer (stand spaghetti/skewer in playdoh)

Interlocking construction toys

Mega Blocks or Legos
Bristle blocks, Tinkertoys or K'nex
Pop beads large or small
Linking chains

Water play

Use spray bottles, water guns and squirt toys to water plants or clean windows, play in the bathtub or outdoors
Mix food coloring and water in a spray bottle to spray pictures in the snow
Squeeze or wring out sponges to wash the car or wash toys in the sink or bathtub

Squeeze toy activities

Foam balls, stress balls, tactile balls
Nerf guns or helicopter toys
Use an eye dropper or turkey baster to squirt water, make water color pictures or have a race by blow cotton balls or pompoms
Craft activities that require using bottles to squeeze such as glue, glitter glue, puffy or fabric paint

Grasp and manipulation games

Pick up multiple small objects (cotton balls, pompoms, beads, coins, candy, popcorn, cereal etc. ) in your hand one at a time, storing or hiding them in the palm of your hand. Then place them back in a container one at a time
Connect 4 game: hold several chips at a time within the palm while placing chips in the slots
Push toothpicks into a styrofoam plate or aluminum foil to form holes to make a picture

Place bingo chips, coins, milk caps in a slot cut out of the top of a small plastic container or piggy bank
Rotate dice or marbles in the palm of one hand using only your thumb and fingertips
Rotate a small plastic cup standing upright using the fingertips of one hand
Twist open and closed lids on jars
Flip a coin using your fingertips
Spin tops

Finger Isolation activities

Squish round playdoh peas with one finger at a time
Push keys on a piano or on a play cash register with your index finger
Push coins or milk caps in a slot with your index finger
Use digit finger exercisers

Page updated

Report abuse