Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills refer to the coordination of small muscle movements in the hands, fingers, wrists, and other small muscle groups. Fine motor skills develop naturally during common activities such as coloring, writing, cutting, turning pages, manipulating small objects, using electronic devices, and self-care.

There are endless playful ways to develop small motor muscle groups leading to improved writing skills. Creative ways to engage children include activities in the kitchen (stirring, spreading), using tweezers to transfer objects from one place to another (fill a jar with cotton balls), playing with different types of dough, threading beads, using hole punches, using droppers as tools for art and science, putting puzzles together and more.

When reading with your child, keep in mind that pointing to pictures & words and turning pages also contributes to the development of fine motor skills.

Starfall Resources for Developing Fine Motor Skills

Starfall offers numerous opportunities to assist children with the development of fine (or small) motor skills. Our resources include free lesson plans, worksheets, online activities, physical products such as games, puzzles, books, and more!