Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills require movement of small muscles, usually in coordination with the eyes but also include movements of the tongue and lips, wriggling toes and foot-eye coordination. Fine motor development includes…

· Ocular motor control – the ability of the eyes to follow and focus on an object in the field of vision as required.

· Hand-eye coordination – the ability to execute activities with the hands, guided by the eyes requiring accuracy in placement, direction, and spatial awareness.

· Foot-eye coordination – the ability to execute actions with the feet, guided by the eyes.

· Manual dexterity –the ability to accurately manipulate the hands and fingers for neat handwriting, drawing, typing skills etc.

· Stereognosis – the ability to recognize unseen objects using the sense of touch.

· Tactile perception – the interpretation of information transmitted via the fingertips to the brain.

Activities to promote fine motor development...

· Screw/unscrew lids on various size containers

· Play with playdough and putty

· Pop bubble wrap

· Use a turkey baster to blow pom-poms or ping pong balls across the floor

· Use tweezers and tongs to pick up small objects

· Lace/string beads using tip of finger against thumb

· Hang up clothespins by pinching pins with thumb and index finger

· Drawing/coloring on a vertical surface (i.e. hang paper on wall to paint)

· Color or read when lying on stomach

· Play balloon volleyball (palms facing up)

· Use wind-up toys or spin tops

· Squirrel objects into palm (pick up objects with index finger and thumb and move into hand without using the other hand).

· Tearing paper