Fine motor skills are massively important and often taken for granted. They are what allow us to complete many of our day-to-day tasks, like brushing our teeth or tying our shoelaces. With this in mind, parents should try and look for ways to help strengthen their child’s fine motor skills, using the following advice from a pre-prep school in Buckinghamshire.
Play Musical Instruments
Most, if not all, musical instruments require the use of the small muscles in our hands and fingers. So, one great way to help your child develop their fine motor skills is to encourage them to learn an instrument. Doing so will teach them various other skills as well, such as determination and hard work.
Get Creative
Arts and crafts involve the manipulation of various tools, like paintbrushes, scissors, and pens and pencils. With that said, encourage your child to explore their creative side. Even if they are just scribbling with a crayon, it will help improve their fine motor skills.
Play Board Games
More often than not, board games require players to move small objects from A to B. This will help your child with gripping and grasping. The same applies to jigsaw puzzles. Both activities are great for supporting your child’s fine motor development.
Encourage Independence
Oftentimes, parents will step in and complete certain tasks for their children to get the job done quicker or to a better standard. However, doing so will not allow your child the opportunity to practise using their fine motor skills. With that said, give your child some independence to eat and dress themselves on their own, as handling cutlery and doing up buttons are examples of activities that will improve their fine motor abilities.
Play with Water
In summer when you set up the paddling pool, or even during bath time, use the water as an opportunity to encourage your child to practise using their fine motor skills. Give them some bottles and plastic cups so that they can practise pouring with a steady hand.
As your child starts to master their fine motor skills, you will notice them becoming increasingly more independent, which is important for their overall development and will open more doors for them. This is particularly true when combined with enhanced hand-eye coordination. Of course, they will practise these skills at nursery and school, but practising at home as well will give them a head start and help with their progression.