If you've opened a book or magazine about parenting, you have probably seen something about the importance of developing fine motor skills in your toddler. At first glance, it sounds potentially boring from both parent and toddler perspective. It would be way more fun to develop gross motor skills such as running, jumping and pouncing. But, for both future success and help with gross motor skills, they also need to get the hang of the fine motor skills.
Developing fine motor skills means performing tasks that involve a lot of hand-eye coordination and small motor control. If they're not developed and strong, problems may occur later in life. For example, if your child has a weakness in fine motor skills she may write poorly, have trouble eating with utensils, and have trouble using a computer; so developing these skills early is important.
If you have a child who's already in school, and the school sees a problem that needs to be addressed, they may place your child in occupational therapy and give them an IEP (individual education program). Don't cringe at this, it's not your fault and it doesn't mean your child is dumb. They just need a little extra help to get them running at their full potential.
So, how do we make it fun?
What do they already like?
First you have to figure out what types of things your little one likes, and use it. Some questions to consider:
- What types of colors are they attracted to? (Bright sparkly things, pastels, primary colors, etc.).
- Age and understanding. This is a big one and the level of your child doesn't always match up with the age on the box. If they are 2 but you've never had a problem with them putting small things in their orifices, you may be able to go with something with smaller objects. However, if they're 4 or 5 and you've taken them to the hospital for constant tiny object removal, rethink the tiny nostril sized beads.
- Interests. Does your little one go gaga over Mickey Mouse, or maybe Thomas the Train or Barbie? Try to choose things that are going to be part of that interest. Even if it's loosely connected, such as saying "Hey, that block is red! It's the same color as Mickey's shorts!" could be the difference between keeping them engaged and loosing their interest. Being "part of that interest" can rest on your own ingenuity.
- Cost. How much does the toy or activity cost vs. how well is it going to hold up to being used. I have found that Melissa & Doug toys hold up well and have been worth the money. It really depends upon what type of toy or activity you're buying - the Dollar Store is great for string and sometimes beads, crayons, coloring books, etc) and how many children will be destroy....I mean using it.
Skill building activities should be fun.
Here are some fun things you and your munchkin can do to work on their fine motor skills:
- Color: Children enjoy the experience of coloring, even more so if you're doing it with them. You may be surprised at how soothing this is for you and what a nice and quiet bonding time this can be. I find markers to be the most successful due to the the vivid colors and how easy it is to get the color onto the paper. Plus, you get the bonus coordination of taking the cap on and off, but you will have to help them with this for awhile at first. I also recommend taking a little piece of tape and taping down the sides of the paper to help young ones out a bit with wiggly paper.
- Paint: This goes hand in hand with coloring. I encourage you to offer your children paint brushes because it reinforces the grasping of a small object (like crayons and markers). I like using finger paint because it's designed to get on skin, clothes, hair, etc.
- Blocks: You can use those classic wooden blocks, cardboard blocks, mega blocks or Tupperware out of your cabinet. The goal here is to get them to balance things. As they get better, smaller blocks become more appropriate. Get down on the floor and play with the blocks with your child. Build pyramids and stack them in different ways, and encourage them try as well. This is a great way to teach kids: you do it and then they'll want to do it, and it puts no pressure on them to perform.
- Beads: The act of putting a bead on a string is actually pretty tough and takes a lot of coordination. Beading is highly recommended as occupational therapy for children with developmental delays. There are lots of different sizes to choose from that are made specifically for kids. I really like a set made by Melissa & Doug. They are large beads, which are great for beginners. They're big enough for little hands and not too frustrating (and they're easy to find). You can also hit up your local craft store for tons of different shaped, sized and colored beads and string. If you choose to make your own kit, I recommend getting nylon string and taping the ends (hemp also works well for small beads) so that it doesn't fray.
- Puzzles: Puzzles accomplish a few things: problem solving, memory and fine motor skills. There are a huge selection of puzzles for all ages and abilities. There are some with nice wooden nobs on the pieces that make picking them up much easier for little hands. When you think they're ready for a puzzle that actually interlocks, work the puzzle with your child by only taking out a section at a time (I usually do 4 pieces) and help them figure out how to get those pieces back into the whole. Otherwise, they may become frustrated and you'll just end up putting the puzzle together yourself.
Keep it simple.
There are lots of other ways to work on fine motor skills with toddlers. Just remember, especially when starting out, it can be very frustrating for your little guy or gal. Keep the play short and sweet so it stays fun and is something they look forward to doing with you. If you begin working with your child gently, with simple tasks, the accomplishment will encourage him to keep going and pursuing more complicated objectives.
Overall: have fun.
A book that I have found very helpful is: Why Motor Skills Matter. It is written for parents of children from birth to age 5 and gives milestones and suggestions as well as exercises if you munchkin is a little behind. There's even a recipe for making your own clay!
