It may be easier to help our kids tie their shoes or cut their food in the short term, but eventually, they’ll need to learn how to do these things independently, and it's up to us to help them build fine motor skills and confidence to do so.
So, how can we help kids learn to handle simple everyday tasks like buttoning their shirts, twirling their spaghetti, and developing fine motor skills in general? Fortunately, there are tons of engaging, play-centered ways to do it! We’ve started a list of fun fine motor activities that are easy to introduce at both home and school.
If you have any favorite fine motor activities for kids, be sure to add them to our recommendations below and keep the list growing. The easier the better, and bonus points if they keep wiggly preschoolers still for a few minutes!
Some activities that build hand and finger strength may require new supplies — check out our list of favorite art supplies for kids here. For more fun, family-friendly activity ideas, explore our LEGO build ideas and family night ideas lists, too!
What Are Fine Motor Skills?
Fine motor skills refer to the ability to make precise movements with the small muscles in our fingers and wrists. Pinching, grasping, and pulling are all examples of fine motor movements, and they’re important for tasks like using a pencil, holding scissors, tying shoes, and so much more. Hand-eye coordination also falls under the fine motor skills umbrella and is crucial for guiding our hands in daily tasks.
The Importance of Fine Motor Skills Activities
When kids develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, they can do more of their normal daily tasks independently, which helps them gain confidence as they move through the world. Another benefit to encouraging young kids to work on fine motor skills is that studies show children with strong fine motor skills have better academic outcomes — particularly in reading, writing, and math.
Tips to Consider with Fine Motor Activities for Toddlers
When trying new activities with your little ones, it’s important to set them up for success. Keep these tips in mind to foster a safe and happy environment for learning.
- Be aware of choking hazards
- Don’t leave children unsupervised with items that could pose a risk
- Choose age-appropriate items
- Consider utilizing chores/tasks (like some light cleaning!)
- Resist the urge to do it for them when they’re struggling
- Be patient — they’re new to this
When you see your kid tie their own shoes for the first time, it’s a great feeling for both of you! Just know that it can take time — when you see your little one struggling and you want to take over, remember that fine motor development activities aren’t easy at first. Your little one is developing a new skill, after all!
Activities to Build Fine Motor Skills for Toddlers and Kids
Add your ideas to our list below!
-
Doll houses are great for both boys and girls. It teaches them to be gentle as they try to set things up and play without knocking things over.
-
Dressing dolls, especially barbies. When my kids were really little this usually involved me sitting and playing/dressing dolls with them and then they gradually learned to do more and more on their own.
-
An OT told me this one: use small writing utensils such as golf pencils and broken crayons. This helps prevent children from grabbing the utensil with a fist and encourages the correct pencil grasp.
-
Pick up things with kitchen tongs. Our kids have so much fun using tongs to pick up socks on the floor, toys, or anything else that needs tidying up!
-
Peeling and placing stickers. Sticker books are great for this - we like the "paint by sticker" series, though it may be a little challenging for some little ones. My 4-year-old is awesome at it, but my 6-year-old (whose fine motor skills definitely need work) struggles a bit. I also really like the Phidal line of reusable sticker books - the quality is such that they truly are reusable!
-
Placing letters on a letter board. I discovered this one by accident, but I love how it keeps my 4-year-old sitting quietly for long stretches of time while he tries to get the plastic letters to stay in my felt letter board.
-
This probably depends on the kid, but when my kids were little I would give them a task/goal such as "we can go to the park as soon as your shoes are on and I finish one quick chore" and then walk away to do my own chore somewhere close by, like emptying the dishwasher. I found that they would figure out how to do things for themselves when I wasn't standing over them and tempted to help or looking at the clock. Be sure to do this a looong time before you have to be out the door.
-
Coloring with crayons (or colored pencils). Our preschool teacher helped us realize that markers don't require enough finger strength to really help as much with fine motor skills.
-
Fill up a piggy bank. Give your kid a stack of coins and ask them to put them in a piggy bank. I’ve noticed that the motion of picking up the coins helps them practice their pincer grasp, and getting them in the thin slot requires hand-eye coordination — win-win!
-
My kids will take any excuse for water play! Try giving your toddler a small cup of water, an eyedropper, and an empty ice cube tray. They can use the eyedropper to transfer the water from the cup into the ice tray.
-
On days when you're not feeling creative and need some easy fine motor activities, just give your toddlers a mound of play dough. From shaping it into balls to squeezing it through their fingers and cutting it with scissors, my kids always really enjoy interacting with play dough. I figure it helps build their hand muscles too!
-
Have kids help put away leftovers! Taking off and putting on Tupperware lids, opening and closing Ziploc bags, twisting jar tops...all of these require fine motor skills they'll be honing while they help you clean up.
-
Our kids looove when we blow bubbles in the air and let them pop them! They poke them, swat at them, grab them, etc. and it’s a constant giggle fest!
-
Give your kid two bowls — one with water, one empty. Then give them a sponge and have them transfer the water from one bowl to the other by soaking and squeezing out the sponge.
-
Hide small objects in a bowl of dry rice and have your child find them. This is a fun sensory activity, too!
-
Dot art with Q-tips. I like to reinforce letter and number recognition with this activity, too, by outlining a letter or number for him to paint by "dotting" the inside with a q-tip dipped in washable paint.
-
Have them hang laundry with clothespins. You can string up a clothesline low enough for your kids to reach and ask them to help hang items that need to air dry using clothespins.
-
Painting snow with colored water. Obviously you can only do this in the winter but it’s a fun one! Fill a squirt bottle with some water and food coloring, and have your kid go “paint” the snow with it.
-
Have them peel a citrus fruit. Bonus points if your kid loves tangerines or oranges because they’ll enjoy a vitamin-C-rich snack when they’re done!
