Life would be hard without fine motor skills. We wouldn’t be able to use buttons or write a check or even feed ourselves without making a huge mess. Helping your child develop his or her fine motor skills will allow them to be more independent and more adept at exploring their world. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or training either. Most fine motor skills are learned simply by giving the child freedom to practice every day self-care skills even if it’s a bit messy or time consuming.
Here are a four ways that parents and caregivers can help children develop fine motor skills.
1. Children should be allowed to feed themselves starting from the introduction of solids. There are plenty of soft spoons and feeders on the market that are designed to let babies practice putting utensils to their mouth without hurting themselves.
Offer older babies small bits of soft foods that they can pick up and chew on their own. Not only will this help them develop fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, many parents have found that their babies are much more eager to eat when allowed to pick up their own food. Always monitor babies and toddlers while eating and consult with your pediatrician about food safety.
2. Give your child plenty of textures to explore. This kind of sensory feedback is crucial for developing minds and will encourage your child to poke, pinch, pull and push. These small movements will help your child develop strength and control in their fingers and wrist that will later help them learn to write and use tools with ease.
You can start by giving young infants blankets or stuffed animals that are constructed out of several different fabrics that they can easily explore with their fingers and mouth. As your child grows, let them play with sand, play dough and clay, beans and rice, water…pretty much anything that is safe for a child to handle!
3. Encourage your children to dress themselves. For some parents, this isn’t a problem. Many children are obsessed with dressing and undressing multiple times a day! If your child is less eager, begin by gently encouraging them to pull their socks off after you’ve loosened them or pull their shirt all the way down after you’ve positioned it on top of their head.
As you choose clothes and shoes for your toddler, look for styles that will be easy for them to manage on their own. They will gradually learn how to manage snaps, zippers, buttons and clasps on their own, but save the fiddly stuff for special occasions only. Too much frustration will discourage a child from trying just as mom and dad jumping in too soon to take over will.
4. Look for toys that will help build fine motor skills. Big chunky puzzles and building blocks are not only great for fine motor skills, they also help children with spatial awareness. Most kids are engrossed by stringing beads on yarn or puzzle boxes with plenty of latches and bolts to figure out.
Arts and crafts are another good way to encourage fine motor skills development. Drawing, coloring, cutting and gluing, painting and sculpting with dough are always a hit. Stickers might drive you a bit batty, but with guidance, children will learn to only use them where appropriate and the peeling and sticking motions are a great exercise for little fingers.
Do keep your child’s current age and ability in mind when choosing playthings and art supplies. Look for things that will challenge them a bit but won’t be impossible for them to accomplish. And always keep safety at the front of your mind.
By Jacob and Carol Maslow
Jacob and Carol Maslow are parents of five school age children. Carol is a therapist specializing in helping pre-school children with disabilities participate fully in school. Jacob is the marketing manager for Todays Concept, an eCommerce site that sells toys including the Melissa and Doug line of classic toys.