While children naturally spend more time indoors during the colder months, that doesn’t mean we stop playing AND learning. Here are some fun activities for your child that can help develop fine motor skills. Many of these are also featured in the Day Care rooms.
Play Dough and Clay
While play dough and clay appears on the surface to just be a fun, hands on activity, it can be so much more! When children squeeze, roll, pinch, and shape the do, they are strengthening the muscles in their hands. In addition, it fuels children’s creativity, as well as improving their dexterity from pinching and shaping the clay.
Using Scissors and Glue
Crafts that give children the chance to use child-safe scissors help with hand-eye coordination and grip strength. Using glue to create their masterpieces helps with fine motor skills and precision. At the Center, we choose such activities as creating snowflakes, mittens, and winter scenes using paper, glue, and other materials.
Stickers
All children LOVE sticking stickers! Did you know that peeling the stickers from the paper and placing them on a paper helps children develop precision and finger strength.
Puzzles and Manipulatives
In most rooms in our Center, you will find a variety of puzzles, peg boards and similar toys that encourage problem solving and strengthening finger muscles.
Spoon, Scoop, and Pour Play
Small children love to scoop things and pour them into another container. Items like rice, beans, and sand can help children practice coordination and control. However, a word of caution, be sure to give smaller items to older children who will not try to swallow or stick them in their ears or nose.
While the Daycare routinely includes these and other similar activities, you can also use these ideas at home. Simple activities like coloring, helping in the kitchen, or playing block are great ways to encourage fine motor skills and let your child have fun!