Fine Motor Skills have always been put on a back burner in this house, until recently.
What a difference a year makes!
Last year, Henry wouldn’t sit still, or have any desire to do anything that didn’t involve a lot of running around. We were really into activities that promoted his gross motor skills at that time.
But recently, Henry’s taken a turn and likes to focus on some of these littler things.
He loves to cut especially.
Now that’s he’s interested in these fine motor activities, what can we do?
I’ve gathered up some inspiration.
Some materials that promote fine motor skills, along with some activities to do with them!
Materials that promote fine motor skills :
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| Pom Poms | Buttons Tinkerlab |
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| Paper Clips Our Country Road |
Clothespins The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking |
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| Rubber Bands Chasing Cheerios |
Tweezers Lessons Learnt Journal |
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| Pipe Cleaners | Straws The Imagination Tree |
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| Play Dough Homeschool Creations |
Nuts & Bolts Counting Coconuts |
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| Stickers ABC & 123 |
Hole Punch Creative Connections for Kids |
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| Syringes & Basters | Kitchen Tongs Crayon Freckles |
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| Toothpicks Creativity My Passion |
Baskets & Colanders |
Activities that promote fine motor skills:
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| Sewing Kitchen Counter Chronicles |
Weaving JDaniel4′s Mom |
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| Lacing Journey into Unschooling |
Beading Art for Little Hands |
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| Balancing Pink and Green Mama |
Spooning Marbles The Snail’s Trail |
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| Paint with Water Writing Kingdom First Homeschool |
Clothespin Color Match My Homemade Montessori |
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| Pipe Cleaner & Button Color Match Diapers to Diplomas |
Paint with Mini Sponges Therapy Fun Zone |
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| Cutting The Princess and the Tot |
Candy Sorting Play Dr Mom |
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| Toothpick Punching Creative with Kids |
Buttoning Rockabye Butterfly |




















































Love them all!
Great list!My son has just turned 2 and right now he is also into this kind of activities. He loves sticking things,posting buttons in slotted lidded container and tweezing pompoms are his favorites.
What a great collection of activities. Thanks for sharing!
This list will keep us busy for a long time. Several of your activities we haven't tried yet. Thanks for sharing.
What a great list of activities!
I am pinning this to use as a reference.
I think the idea you shared from us actually isn't from Toddler Approved though.
Thank you for including me on the list!
This post totally rocked. I just got so many ideas that are going to help me get through the winter! Thank you!
Thank you!! My son is still struggling and we are getting close to kindergarten roundup and I am concerned he is really going to struggle next year. Unfortunately, the suggestions from the OT at the school are pathetic at best. I so thankful there are other moms out there who share ideas. We have been doing the bolts & nuts (a suggestion from my mom) and being a boy he loves it plus the weight of the bolts is a great strengthening exercise for his hands as well. Since I do not have a blog I am glad to see someone else suggested it too!
This is an awesome list! So many good ideas in one place. I am sure it will be pinned 1000 times
this is such a great post and I thank you for it.
here, here and here you can find my ideas.
THANK YOU for including me on the list! It's SUCH a great collection!
What a great collection of ideas!! I'm excited to be on it!! Thank you :}.
I love this post, Jamie! You come up with the best ideas and I know my readers will love them too!
Great post! I can't wait to do some of these with my kids!
Great round up! We do a lot of those activities, but I seen several that we need to do! Thanks for rounding all of these great ideas up into one easily accessible space. Can we predict more arts and crafts in your future? Haha
I work with developmentally delayed preschoolers and sometimes run out of "new" ideas!! Love all of your links and ideas and will be directing parents your way!! Thanks!!
so many great ideas! thanks for popping our math with tongs in there!
Thanks for all the great links, some I have used and several I will be using!
Wow- what an awesome collection! My little man is into beans and rice. He calls it scoop, scooop. Also- loved playing with oatmeal. He's getting pretty good with the plastic chopsticks, too.
Thanks! I also use poster pins and call it pin prick art. Etcha Sketch, lite brite, aqua doodle, pushing beads through cutouts on a yogurt container lid, silly putty…
Thank you for sharing this awesome list. My little girl is 14 months so I'm collecting ideas for activities we can do that are fun for her (and ME!) and also help her development. Pinning!
Awesome post… amazing photos! What perfect ways to have FUN and at the same time practicing fine motor skills. Sharing on my Facebook page. Thanks! Lorna
You have the greatest ideas and share even more wonderful activities! Thanks for helping other moms!! I linked to your amazing list in my blog today. http://auroraspitfire.blogspot.com/2012/03/rainy-monday-silliness.html
These are great FM exercises!!! My youngest has Down snydrome and my oldest has very weak fine motor. Can’t wait to start on these exercises!
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for this list! I hope it’s ok that I linked to your page in my blog post today…http://play2learnwithsarah.com/fine-motor-skils/
Some great ideas!
My oldest never had a trouble with the itty bitty stuff, but I think I need to take time to work on some of these with my youngest.