As I constantly research ideas for my classes I have recently come across some great fine motor skills activities for our pre-schoolers. As we all know fine motor skills are so important in early learning. They bring out the natural creativity in their minds through play, games and arty practices.
Simple activities are easy to set up in the classroom. Our young children need to be taught how to cut by holding scissors properly, draw or trace with a pencil, colour in pictures properly. Simple skills like holding these everyday implements properly will enhance their learning throughout their young educational journey.
There are lots of ways for young children to develop and build up these muscles. My young kids that I teach absolutely love Plasticine and play doh, and these allow them to also get as creative as they want. They can practice manipulating it in their hands by squeezing, and twisting until they make a shape they are proud of.
Another one of my favourites is getting them involved in a proper project like making pom poms, threading beads, anything arty like cutting out and sticking, scrunching tissue paper to make flower heads. I also have some stick bricks in my class with letters so they can even make small words. Usually if we have been doing a theme I will ask them to choose one of their pieces of work and altogether we make a mural from that weeks work.
I find that once I have shown them an example of what we are aiming for they can’t wait to get going and try it. The best feeling is when they run up so proud to show me their work and ask if they can take it home to show their parents. As a teacher focusing on fine motor skills is up their with learning numbers, the alphabet and reading. Allowing them to open their mind at such a young age is the best gift a good teacher can give.
As always I try to communicate with parents so these important growing factors can be carried over into daily family life.