Stocking Stuffer Ideas to Increase Fine Motor Skills
Does your child have difficulty with handwriting at school, buttoning pants, tying shoes, opening containers, or zipping their jacket? Many children have trouble with these tasks and require assistance. When children have trouble with these tasks it can be an indicator of underdeveloped fine motor skills. With the holidays around the corner, here are some fun and creative ways to develop these skills at home.
Fine Motor Skills are skills used when an individual moves their hand to complete a small activity. These skills are achieved when children learn to use the smaller muscles in their hands, fingers, and wrists. Children use these muscles when writing, holding small items, buttoning clothing, turning pages, opening lunch boxes, cutting with scissors, typing with a keyboard, and eating. Fine motor skills are essential for performing everyday tasks. Without the ability to complete these tasks, a child may experience some difficulty keeping up with their peers.
Here are some stocking stuffers that can help your child increase their fine motor skills:
Play-doh
Plastic cookie cutters (for play-doh or putty)
Rolling Pin
Beads to string
Crayons
Markers
Twistable Markers
Finger paints
Water colors
Card games
Coloring books
Activity books
Blocks
Kinetic Sand
Board Games (Operation)
Clothes pins
Lego Toys
Small puzzles
Dice Games
Marbles
Stickers
Books
Modeling Clay
Sidewalk Chalk
Balls
Small electronic games
Travel Games/ Etch-a-sketch
Pop-Arty! Beads
By: Kelsey Wright