How to help your child develop their fine motor skills

Fine motor skills are when we co-ordinate our brains with the small muscles in our hands and wrists to carry out various tasks, like tying our laces or writing with a pen. We often take these skills for granted because we don’t really think about them when going about doing our normal, everyday activities. However, fine motor skills are something that we develop over time when we are young. Parents can help their children develop their fine motor skills using the various suggestions below, provided by a prep school in Surrey. 

Do lots of arts and crafts

From a young age, encourage your child to experiment with arts and crafts. Even scribbling with crayons will help strengthen their small muscles, and they can eventually move onto things like colouring, painting, or even using scissors. 

Encourage writing activities

Your child should practise using pens and pencils by carrying out various writing activities. You could ask them to help you write your Christmas cards or even your weekly shopping list or keep a diary, as this will help them learn how to manipulate stationery effectively. 

Play board games and puzzles

Board games and jigsaw puzzles are great for helping children develop their fine motor skills, because they have to pick up and move tiny pieces, like rolling a die for instance. Even something like Jenga can help, because it involves the pincer grasp which is vital for writing. 

Promote independent dressing

It might take a little longer to get ready in the morning, but you should try and encourage your child to get dressed independently. They can practise doing up their zips and buttons, brushing their teeth and hair, and tying their laces before you leave the house.

All children develop at different rates, so don’t worry too much if your child’s fine motor skilled aren’t as advanced as other children their age. As with most things, practise makes perfect, but do speak to your GP if you are genuinely concerned.