Fine motor skills are important for everyday life and academic success. But they also are in decline 41,44 . In this post, you’ll see examples of fine motor skill developmental milestones for children aged 1 to 4 1/2 years. You’ll see why it is crucial that you provide your child with activities that improve fine motor skills and what kind of activities to do. So let’s delve in.
What are fine motor skills?
Definition
“Fine motor skills are the tiny movements we make with our hands, fingers, feet and toes”2.
Example: List of fine motor skills for toddlers and preschoolers based on the Ages and Stages Milestone Checklists (ASQ3)
So what are examples of these skills?
The ASQ3 is one of several different developmental milestone checklists pediatricians use for screening. In contrast to some of the other checklists, the ASQ3 has a separate section for fine motor skills.
During the first year of a baby’s life, ASQ’s fine motor skills include learning to grasp toys, wave them, get them to his/her mouth to chew on, pick toys up, and put them down.1 You can see the fine motor skills included in the ASQ3 questionnaires for 1 to 4 1/2 years in the chart below3.
Why is it important for your toddler and preschooler to develop good fine motor skills?
As you saw above, fine motor skills are essential for daily life. People need fine motor skills every day: eating, getting dressed, using doors and light switches, writing, reading, brushing and flossing one’s teeth, and tidying up are just a few examples.
Beyond that, research has also shown a strong link between fine motor skills and other areas of academic success. For instance, a study from 2020 looked at children before and after they entered kindergarten in the U.S. It found that “children who had higher levels of fine motor skills, specifically the ability to copy a design, had higher achievement in kindergarten entry. Children with strong fine motor skills also improved more from fall to spring compared to kindergarteners with lower levels of fine motor skills.”5 Other research has found links between fine motor skills:
- vocabulary4
- number knowledge4 and math11, 96
- attention4
- handwriting6
- letter recognition15 and reading7, 96
- cognitive functioning13
- success in a wide variety of subjects such as art, home economics, and science. 6
Conversely, lack of good fine motor skills is linked to, for instance,
- behavior problems and emotions such as “”intense personal feelings of failure””6 and
- “educational and social difficulties in school”12.
Why are fine motor skills associated with achievement in other areas? One possible explanation is that children who mastered fine motor skills have greater “automaticity” – they don’t need to spend that many cognitive resources on e.g., figuring out how to “write letters on a piece of paper. If so, this might free up cognitive resources for learning more complex skills, like reading whole words, and writing.”5 Another explanation comes from brain imaging research. This has shown that “motor and cognitive development are inextricably linked”, as the regions in the brain responsible for both “are coactivated when doing many cognitive or motor tasks”14.
What are ways to improve fine motor skills for toddlers and preschoolers?
Below you’ll find several ways to improve toddlers’ and preschoolers’ fine motor skills. But first
A few general notes:
Age information
- Each child is different, and there’s usually a wide range when children become ready to do something – not just fine motor skills, but other things like walking and talking, too. So look at your own child and see what s/he might be ready for. Some skills also build on each other. For the listed age information, I generally went with ages ON THE EARLY side of the information I found. So you don’t need to get worried if your child doesn’t do something (or shows no interest in doing it) by that age. Just continue to offer a variety of fine motor activities.
Safety
- Keep it safe. Especially for younger children, many of the activities require you to be right there with them to closely supervise.
Introduce the activity
- Several studies have compared a Montessori approach to regular preschool or kindergarten, and the Montessori children usually improved their fine motor skills more. Part of the reason why the approach is so successful might be because an adult formally introduces the child to each material. Materials are graduated from easy to more difficult16.
Rotate materials regularly
- Another possible reason why a Montessori approach is so successful in developing fine motor skills is that the adults regularly rotate the materials16. This keeps the overwhelm at bay. It makes the materials more interesting. It also gives children the opportunity to practice the skills with lots of different materials.
So. Here’s the list:
Read on for more information about each way to improve your toddler’s or preschooler’s fine motor skills.
1. Eat finger food
Picking up things like Cheerios is part of the ASQ’s milestones for 12 to 14 months, as you’ve seen above.
Eating finger food is a great way to practice picking things up. There’s so much motivation to learn to pick it up and get it into the mouth if it’s something your child likes to eat!
From which age can children start to eat finger food?
You can start introducing finger food as soon as you’re introducing any solids. Finger food often starts with super soft chunks that are easy to grasp (like softly cooked potato sticks, etc.). As your baby’s skills improve, the variety of foods s/he can handle by herself will increase and then one day s/he’ll be easily picking up flattened blueberries or other small bits of food. Solidstarts is a great resource to learn about how to prepare food for different ages.
2. Use spoons
Feeding himself/herself with a spoon is part of the ASQ milestones for 18 to 24 months, as you’ve seen above.
Besides lots of practice at mealtime, your child can use spoons and other objects such as measuring cups in food preparation.
Your child can also play with spoons. For instance, Rule & Stewart did a study with kindergarten students in the U.S. They provided them with different Montessori-inspired activities involving spoons, tongs, and tweezers. After 6 months, the students in that group did significantly better in a fine motor skill test than the children in the control group, even though those children had spent a similar amount of time doing (other) fine motor activities (effect size: d=0.74, so a large effect).8 This was the case even though the control group’s kindergarten teachers “felt they were so strong and experienced in implementing fine motor skill activities that they preferred to be in the control” group.8 More on these activities below.
Another study by Bhatia et al. compared 5-year-old kindergarten students from a Montessori classroom to students in a regular kindergarten who had a similar background (control group). Many of the Montessori activities focused on using tongs, tweezers, and spoons to transfer objects, but there were also pouring exercises (see below). Other exercises included “how to use clothes pegs, lace cards, sew buttons, polish silver or brass, use the dressing frames that teach the children how to dress and undress themselves, and so forth”. These activities were also often linked to other content, such as sorting animals. The control group also did fine motor activities as part of a “traditional kindergarten curriculum”, such as “coloring” or “play[ing] with blocks and puzzles” as well as special programs such as “Handwriting without Tears”. After 8 months, adjusting for their pre-test scores, the Montessori students did significantly better than the control group (effect size: d=0.53 for accuracy (a large effect) and d=0.37 for speed (a medium effect)). 16
From which age can children start to use a spoon?
When to introduce a spoon depends on the child and what they’re supposed to do with the spoon. You can give them “their own spoon as soon as they start solids” (you’ll likely need a second one to feed them until they have improved their skills). 19, 23 Yes, it will be messy for quite a while, but that’s all part of the learning.
3. Use tongs, tweezers, and chopsticks
As mentioned above, research with kindergarteners by Rule & Stewart and Bhatia et al. has shown that activities involving spoons, tongs, and tweezers made a big positive difference in children’s fine skills.8, 16 Unfortunately, the studies do not contain a full list of the activities used. In the Rule & Stewart study, there were over 50 activities. The study does describe two examples:
- “the “Diamonds” box contains a royal blue satin-covered, gold-tasseled case, 12 faceted faux diamonds, a cobalt blue glass bowl, a decorated egg carton with blue velvet pillows glued into the bottoms of compartments, and a silver spoon. The student is instructed to carefully pour the diamonds into the bowl, use the spoon to transfer and position each jewel on a velvet pillow, and finally transfer them back to the bowl and box”8
- in the “Ladybug levels” activity, “ladybug erasers are positioned on images [of ladybugs] glued to leaf pedestals” with the help of tongs8
Rule & Stewart also say that some of the activities “incorporated cognitive skills such as finding likenesses and differences, matching and sorting, or science content such as learning about animals”8.
If you need inspiration, check out Mama OT’s collection of tong activities.
Moreover, the original Montessori idea was for children to learn a lot in real practical life situations10. So also think about real-life activities where your toddler or preschooler can use tongs, such as helping you in food preparation.
Chopsticks are another implement that can help develop fine motor skills. In many Asian cultures, people use chopsticks for eating. Transferring “broad beans from one cup to another” with chopsticks has been used as a test for fine motor skills25.
Training chopsticks for children often come with some type of bridge24. MamoOT has a post that describes how to turn regular chopsticks into training chopsticks. But there are ready-made training chopsticks available for purchase in a variety of designs. Some even have finger supports.
Your child can use chopsticks in a variety of transfer activities. Check for instance The Little Montessori House for some examples.
From which age can children start to use tongs?
Many children can learn how to handle tongs starting sometime between 17 months to 2 years9.
From which age can children start to use tweezers?
When to introduce tweezers depends not just on your child but maybe also on the type of tweezers. (Here’s an example of some types for kids). The age range seems to vary from about 2 to 3 as a starting point29. One Montessori site recommends that children learn how to work with tongs first, and only then go on to work with tweezers28.
From which age can children start to use chopsticks?
One site says that in Japan, children often “start learning to use chopsticks by the age of 4 or 5”26 – but that’s the regular ones. Experiential reports show that training chopsticks can already be introduced to toddlers, starting around 19 to 24 months.27 So start with training chopsticks and build up skills from there.
4. Pour
In the Bhatia et al. study mentioned above, the researchers describe another activity that was common in the Montessori classroom:
“For example, beginning with the pouring exercises, the child was shown very carefully how to pick up the jug on the left, using his or her pincer grip, and pour the beans into the empty jug on the right and then back into the original jug. This was developed further with the child pouring into two equal containers, then pouring into several different-size containers, and then pouring using a funnel. The materials that the child poured were also scaffolded from simple to complex. He or she started with something big and chunky like pasta or shells, progressed to rice or sand, and then eventually progressed to water. Once the child mastered this activity, that child was given opportunities to pour water or juice for the other students during snack or lunchtime.”16
Pouring can also be part of bathtime fun.89
From which age can children start to do pouring activities?
That depends on your child (like any of the activities listed here). The age recommendations on Montessori-related sites for starting pouring activities seem to range from about 12 months to 2.5 years. 30 You can also practice pouring water outside (in warm weather) or as part of bath time fun first.
5. Play with playdough and similar substances
From real dough to playdough (bought or homemade), clay, plasticine, to Theraputty, there are so many options!
Studies with kindergarten children in Indonesia have shown that playing with playdough helps to significantly improve fine motor skills.31
From which age can children start to play with playdough?
Play-Doh markets its product for children ages 2 and older. Some sets carry an age recommendation of 3 and up, depending on the tools32. However, It seems that a lot of people start way earlier at about 15 months33. Before you start, it’s important that your child can already play with something without immediately putting it into his/her mouth, and that you’re right there with him/her to stop any attempt to put the playdough into his/her mouth (as well as to demonstrate what to do). It’s super fun for toddlers, but it’s not a play-by-yourself-all-alone activity for them.33 While Play-Doh is marketed as non-toxic, it is not food and shouldn’t be eaten. It can also be a choking hazard34.
6. Help with baking, cooking, and other food preparation
Letting your child help you with baking, cooking, and other food preparation is a great opportunity for using spoons, measuring cups, tongs, dough, pouring, etc. There are also a variety of other tools they can use, such as toddler-safe wooden knives, spatulas, whisks, rolling pins, etc. That’s why it got its own entry on the list.
Moreover, there is also the food itself. For instance, think about corn husks and how much fine motor skill practice it takes to get the corn kernels off the cob (either using a tool like tweezers/tongs or one’s fingers)101.
From which age can children start to help in food preparation?
Children can start to help in the kitchen as soon as they’re able to stand on a learning tower (also called kitchen helper). Some things they might even be able to do in a high chair. What they’re able to do increases with their age and skills. For instance, toddler-safe knives are marketed for 18-month-olds and up.35 Of course, keep safety in mind (e.g., keep them away from sharp knives and hot liquids).
7. Play with blocks
As you’ve seen above, stacking is one of the ASQ’s milestones: with building a 2-piece and 3-piece tower starting at 14 months, a 6-piece tower at 18 months, and a 7-piece tower at 24 months.
There are a lot of different objects children can stack – wooden blocks, cardboard boxes, household items, stacking cups, or a stacking rainbow, to give you some examples.
Besides, there are also a variety of interlocking blocks such as Duplo, Lego, MegaBloks, KevaPlanks, etc.
Playing with blocks is not just good for the children’s fine motor skills, but research has also shown that it improves their spatial abilities, arithmetic ability, and other math skills such as word problems – it even impacts the children’s brain36. More complex and structured block play seems especially beneficial, with long-lasting effects. For instance, “[m]ore complex [block] play during the preschool years has been correlated with higher mathematics achievement in high school, even after controlling for a child’s IQ (Wolfgang et al 2001; 2003).”36
From which age can children use blocks?
The ASQ milestones start with 14 months, as seen above, but like with any skill, there’s a range.
Wooden blocks that are large enough not to be choking hazards can be introduced as soon as a baby can hold them. From chewing to banging, there are other ways to play with them. Moreover, a baby might enjoy bringing a tower that you build with wooden blocks down.
The larger interlocking blocks (like Duplo) that are sized to not be choking hazards are often recommended to start at around 18 months, while real Legos (the small ones) have age recommendations of 4 years and older.37
8. Do other construction activities
What about other construction-type toys? Something called the Purdue pegboard has been used to assess the fine motor skills of 4-year-olds to (more often) adults. It contains not just tiny (not stackable) pegs but in one subtest also washers and collars that need to be placed on the pegs. 20, 21.
Different types of construction toys exist, such as simple workbenches with nuts, washers, bolts, etc., wooden construction kits such as Matador, and metal construction kits such as Erector.
Moreover, children can also help in the construction of real objects (e.g., putting together a bird feeder).
From which age can children do these construction activities?
This depends very much on the activity. For instance, Erector sets are recommended for primary school-aged children onwards, while some Matador sets and toy workbenches already start at around 342. Some programs already offer real woodworking for children as young as 343.
9. Do puzzles
Doing 5- to 7-piece jigsaw puzzles is part of the ASQ milestones for 3 1/2 years onward. But to develop your child’s puzzle skills, there are other types of puzzles - such as those where they put a piece (with or without pegs) into a corresponding hole on an inlay board - to start with much younger. There are also jigsaw puzzles with a smaller number of pieces, for instance.
Check out the separate post here on how to help your child learn how to do puzzles.
Research with 3- to 6-year-olds has shown that doing puzzles leads to significantly better fine motor skills. 38 But that’s not the only benefit. Another study showed that it’s also really beneficial for spatial skills: “the more often toddlers were doing puzzles between ages 2 and 4, the better they performed on a spatial skills test at age 4 1/2”39. Moreover, puzzles can also help with learning the letters of the alphabet.
From which age can children do puzzles?
That depends not just on your child, but the type of puzzle. You can introduce the easiest inlay puzzles when your child is around 7 months old, but other types (such as simple 4 or less-piece jigsaw puzzles) come much later. Check out the overview in the separate puzzle article.
10. Drop coins or similar shaped objects into slots
One of the tests used to measure fine motor skills is called “the Penny Posting Test” in which “the number of pennies are counted that a seated child can pick up one at a time with the dominant hand and place through a one-inch slot in a can within 30 seconds”8. It’s basically like a Montessori coin drop. Besides coins, you could also use e.g. cardboard disks – especially for toddlers that is a great option because you can make them big enough not to be choking hazards so they can practice by themselves.
While children younger than 6 might not adhere to the rules of Connect 4 (based on the age recommendation on Amazon)22, the fine motor skills needed to put the disks into the frame seem very similar to a coin drop activity. There are also oversized versions of the game available.
Besides play practice, you can also use it as a real-world activity, for instance, putting coins into a donation box or a piggy bank.
From which age can children do coin drops?
This depends on the size of the “coin” and the slot. The toy subscription service Lovevery has a coin drop box in its set for 13-month-olds.40
11. Use switches
As you’ve seen above, flipping switches is part of the ASQ’s milestones for 22 to 27 months.
While there probably are some busy boards or toys that have switches, this is really an everyday life skill activity. So for instance, hold your toddler up and have him/her flip the switch for the light to go off before going to bed and on in the morning or at any other good opportunity. First with help, then alone.
Flipping it down is usually easier at first than flipping it up.
From which age can children use switches?
The milestone starts to be included on the list at 22 months, as you’ve seen above. But, there are many parental reports that children get fascinated with and are able to do it earlier, at around 13 to 16 months.
12. Use a turning motion
As you’ve seen above, that is part of the ASQ’s milestones for 20 to 30 months.
Like light switches, this one is another everyday life skill. The milestones specifically mention “doorknobs, wind up toys, twist tops, or screw lids on and off jars”. Be mindful of some containers’ lids being small enough to be choking hazards, so supervise closely for those.
From which age can children use a turning motion?
It’s included in the 20- to 30-month milestones. Besides the turning motion itself, some of the activities also depend on the size of the lid, the strength needed to turn the doorknob, etc.
13. Draw, copy, and color
As you’ve seen above, many of the ASQ’s fine motor milestones are related to drawing, copying, and coloring.
There are different options, so you can add some variety:
- Crayons (Especially the thicker, soy- or beeswax-based ones for toddlers are often a good starting choice.)
- Chalk
- Finger paint
- Aquapaint and similar products such as WaterWow
- Paint brushes, sponges, etc. and watercolors
- Oil pastels
- Paint sticks
- Dot markers
- Pencils
- Pens/ markers
Make sure any art supply you use is non-toxic. Supervise closely, especially for younger children. (Many still will require you to supervise even later.) Provide something underneath etc. to protect the surface if needed (especially at the beginning, as your child will probably go off paper).
Also be aware that especially for toddlers, drawing is often not a super-long lasting activity. Even if they just do it a few seconds before they want to move on to something else, it’s still important to offer it.
Besides free creative drawing, drawing can also be combined with learning other skills such as counting. For an example, check out the chalk garden.
From which age can children draw, copy, and color?
As you see in the milestone list, skills get more and more complicated as children grow older. Chunky crayons for scribbles can be introduced once grasping has been mastered. Introduce them starting around 12 months to maybe 15 months.46 Finger paints can also be introduced quite early.
Pencils and pens/markers should be introduced later. Pencils if sharpened are pointy and so a potential poking hazard46. They (and even regular crayons) are also much thinner than chunky crayons making them harder to hold. One Montessori site points out that markers don’t need much pressure or give much “sensory feedback”, in contrast to other materials.47
14. Use scissors
As you’ve seen above, using child-safe scissors is part of ASQ’s milestones for 33-months to 4 1/2-year-olds. Cutting paper is also used for assessing fine motor skills20.
Besides paper and cardboard, there are other things your child can cut, such as thread or fabric. Cutting playdough (with playdough plastic scissors) before moving on to paper is the recommended easier (and safer) way to start.50
Close supervision is essential (that’s even on the ASQ milestones). Before you start introducing scissors, it’s important that “your child has enough control to keep the fingers on their opposite hand away from the scissors”50.
From which age can children use scissors
Like many skills, it takes time to learn how to use scissors. The earliest to introduce scissors is about 2 from what I’ve found.49
15. String beads and other things
Stringing beads (or other small objects) is explicitly part of the ASQ’s fine motor developmental milestones for 22 to 36 months, as you have seen above.
Stringing beads was also part of a training used in a study in Japan. It significantly improved the children’s fine motor skills and arithmetical ability. The study was done with first graders and small beads for 10 minutes a day for 3 weeks (the control group did reading during that time). The children used first the one hand and then the other hand. 17
Supervise closely, not just because of potential choking hazards but also because the string can be a strangulation risk.
Besides beads and pasta, there are a lot of other materials that you can use. Some ideas: Hands On As We Grow
From which age can children string beads?
The ASQ milestone is already for quite small objects such as pasta. So start earlier with something larger. Beginning threading sets often come with a wooden “needle” (i.e., the end that goes in first is stiff and easy to grip, and thus easier to get into the hole).48
As you’ve seen above, unbuttoning buttons is an ASQ milestone for 4-year-olds.
That’s an everyday life skill. So you can practice it when getting undressed, but it’s quite hard to do at the beginning when dressed. If your child plays with dolls, s/he can also practice with doll clothes. The OT Toolbox has suggestions for a bunch of activities that practice (un)buttoning from pushing a coin through a slit, an egg-carton buttoning activity, to a buttoning frame or skills board.
MamaOT shows that it depends on size. She says that around 2, children might be able to “unbutton[] large (1-inch) buttons” and then between 2 1/2 and 3 they might be able to button them. Unbuttoning or buttoning when wearing clothing comes later, at around 3 to 4 1/2 years.51
17. Post flags, craft sticks, and other objects
This is one of the tests used to measure fine motor skills. A tray is “covered with clay in which there are 12 pinholes. There are 12 paper flags mounted on pins, six to the left of the tray and six to the right, giving an exact correspondence of holes to flags”16. As a test, it is timed (i.e. recording how long it takes a child to get all 12 flags in the correct holes). It is also scored on accuracy (i.e., counting how many extra holes there are now in the clay). You could do something similar at home by making little flags out of sticks and using playdough instead of clay to create a surface to put the flags into.
But: because as a fine-motor exercise, you don’t necessarily need a way to score accuracy, you can also use, for instance, craft sticks (popsicle sticks) and have your child stick them into corresponding holes in an egg carton (see also here). One can also do it with a bottle with a slit in the cap. Or several slits in a box. For more of a challenge: Try q-tips or matchsticks and a container. One can also e.g. use old-style wooden cloth pins.
This type of activity is often done also later to introduce matching, e.g., to match a colored craft stick into a hole of the same color.
From which age can children use post flags, craft sticks, and other objects?
That depends very much on the object used and the size of the hole it’s supposed to go into. One parental experience introduced popsicle/ craft stick drops already to a 1 year old. 52 Q-tips/ matchsticks can be used starting around 13 to 15 months91. Color matching comes later.
18. Play with pegboards
Very similar to the flag posting in terms of the skills is using pegboards. Pegboards have also been used to assess fine motor skills. (As a test, it’s timed, e.g., how many pins can the child place in 30 seconds.)17, 20
Pegboards come in many different sizes of pegs and shapes. Some are giant pegboards that even toddlers can learn to handle easily and where the pegs can be stacked one on top of each other because of a hole in the center of each peg. Some have tiny pegs, like the Purdue pegboard mentioned above.
From which age can children play with pegboards?
It depends on what kind of pegboard it is. Toy subscription service Lovevery has a toddler-style pegboard (with round pegs with a hole in the middle) in their kit for 16- to 18-month-olds.
19. Handle books
As you’ve seen above, turning pages in a book is part of the ASQ’s milestones, from 12 months helping to turn them, then turning them himself (more than one at a time) then from 2 1/2 years turning them by him-/herself one at a time.
Besides turning pages, interactive books can provide additional fine motor stimulation. There are a lot of different types of interactive books to choose from (such as books with flaps, pull-out tabs, pieces to attach, etc.).
But beyond the fine motor skills, research has shown that reading to your child a lot is absolutely crucial for their language and brain development.
From which age can children handle books?
Start reading aloud to your child every day from very soon after birth. You can introduce simple interactive books like “Pat the Bunny” as soon as your child can sit in your lap with help. And then just take it from there : )
20. Play with balls
As you’ve seen above throwing a small ball is part of the ASQ 12- to 18-month milestones.
Use a soft ball such as a cloth or stress ball.
Playing with a ball doesn’t just require fine motor skills but lots of gross motor skills as well. Besides throwing back and forth, there are other ways to play: kick a beach ball, roll it, throw it at a target such as trying to get it into a bucket or box, play games like bowling, etc. There are also velcro mittens to make catching easier.
Besides balls, you can also experiment with throwing other small and soft objects, such as beanbags54 or paper balls55.
From which age can children play with balls?
You can start with rolling a ball at around 7 months. “Many toddlers will attempt their first throw between 12 and 18 months. Catching comes later — around age 3 or 4 — and most toddlers will make their first catch hugging the ball to the chest. […] But with practice, most children will progress to catching with their hands, rather than their bodies, sometime during their third or fourth year.” 54
21. Lace
Lacing is a skill needed for instance to get new shoelaces into shoes.
Lacing is often done with lacing toys such as small wooden boards in different shapes that have holes in them or with lacing cardboard cards. For instance, here’s a heart-shaped idea.
The bigger the hole the easier. Having a wooden “needle” (just like with stringing beads, above) also makes it easier.
From which age can children lace?
“Normal” lacing cards are often used with preschoolers56, so starting at around 3. But some use them even with 2-year-olds 60. The ones with bigger holes can already be used with toddlers57. Some introduce e.g., a lacing “cheese” toy at around 18 months58. Lacing and stringing beads use very similar skills (getting a string through a hole).
22. Sew
Another similar activity is sewing. Sewing comes after children have mastered stringing beads and lacing.
They will also need to learn how to get a thread into a needle, although others start with a pre-threaded needle. Often a needle with a blunt end is used first.59
How We Montessori describes how to use different lacing activities as preparation. Then one can do things like “Sewing on a Line”, where there are still holes but: “Our embroidery needles go through but the child has to use a little effort to push and pull the needle through.”. They even put some stuffing in between the two layers they’ve sewn together to make a little cushion. The Montessori Notebook also has a sample activity. The Kavanaugh Report describes a progression from stringing beads and lacing cards, to an “embroidery hoop with floss”, “bead sewing” and finally “following a design”.
From which age can children sew?
That really depends on the child’s progress in stringing beads, lacing, etc. first. It takes lots of practice over a long time to get to ‘real’ sewing.60 Nicole’s child (from the Kavanaugh Report) is sewing little projects at 4 years old60.
23. Brush teeth
Brushing teeth is a necessary habit for oral health.
From which age can children brush their teeth?
You need to brush your child’s teeth from when they appear. According to the Columbia Irving Medical Center, “[m]ost children do not have the dexterity to brush properly until about age 6 years”. Some might need help until they are about 8 or so.61 So while it’s important to let them hold the toothbrush and do some of the ‘brushing’ themselves, you will still need to brush their teeth too.61 So you can start by taking turns, with you doing most of the actual brushing (toddlers seem to mostly chew on the toothbrush at the beginning)61. Sing a song and/or use a timer, let them pick the toothbrush, etc. At around 4, they can start by brushing first and then you “check for proper cleaning”62.
24. Glue
Using glue is another skill you’re child will need at school.
As with paint, make sure any glue is non-toxic.
Lovevery has three ideas for glue activities for 24- to 30-month-olds. BrightLittleOwl has some more ideas as well as a description of how to set up a Montessori glue tray.
From which age can children use glue?
“Children as young as age 2 will like to glue things to paper randomly.”63
25. Play in a sandbox
Sandboxes (or beaches, if you have access to one of those) offer a lot of different options for practicing fine motor skills. Build sand castles. Use a variety of tools such as shovels, buckets, and little forms. Write or draw in the sand. Pour water and stir.
From which age can children play in a sandbox?
Sandboxes are usually recommended from about 12 months on, but even children as young as about 10 months old might enjoy them64.
26. Sort objects
Sorting beads has been used as a test for fine motor skills.20 There are a lot of different objects your child can sort.
From which age can children sort objects?
The smaller the object the more fine motor skills are required. But recognizing attributes and then sorting objects based on an attribute is in itself a skill, beyond the fine motor skills sorting practices. Toddlers often start to learn how to sort “[s]omewhere between 19 and 24 months”.65
27. Squeeze
Squeezing is another life skill, needed for instance for clean-up or getting juice out of a lemon by hand.
Squeezing activities can include sponges, of course66. But some also include tools such as pipettes67 or spray bottles68 in their squeezing activities. HowWeMontessori has some ideas for pipette activities.
Squeezing can also be part of bathtime fun89.
From which age can children squeeze?
Sponges can even be used by young toddlers -13 month69 or so. A small spray bottle can be introduced at around 16 months70. Pipettes/ droppers come in different sizes, but all require some patience. The earliest to introduce pipettes I’ve seen so far is around 19 months71.
28. Fingerplays
In the Japanese study described above that also included stringing beads and doing a hand exercise, children were asked to do “finger opposition movements (thumb to index, medium, ring, and little fingers) with each hand 5 times”17. As described above, the treatment (10 minutes/day for 3 weeks) significantly improved the children’s fine motor skills and arithmetical ability.
Fingerplays are often done in little stories (such as the Itsy-Bitsy-Spider) or with little songs such as “Open. Shut them”.
From which age can children do fingerplays?
Fingerplays are a regular part of the Manheim Township Public Library’s “Baby Mania”, which is for children aged 0 to 18 months. So you can definitely start early to introduce them. As the child grows and grows more familiar with the play, they will be able to participate more and more.
29. Weave
For example, weaving can be done with string and ribbons or paper strips74.
From which age can children weave?
Weaving with pre-cut materials can be done from around 3 years old, although some have done simple weaving even with toddlers74.
30. Fold paper
Folding paper can range from folding a paper in half to complex origami.
One study with 4- to 5-year-olds in Indonesia found that origami activities improved the children’s fine motor skills.80
From which age can children fold paper?
Being able to do a specific fold (instead of just playing with the paper) “emerges as early as 27 months of age but becomes more accurate with age.”81 Simple origami projects can be attempted around 4 with adult help.82
31. Play musical instruments
Many musical instruments require fine motor skills: think about playing a piano or violin, for instance.
In one study, children were tested before and after they received two years of piano lessons (and compared to a group of children who did not receive any “formal music instruction”. “The fine motor skills of the piano group improved significantly more […] than did those of the control group”75.
From which age can children play musical instruments?
Start playing with instruments without formal instruction even with very young toddlers. Xylophones and a variety of percussion instruments can already be enjoyed by young toddlers. In his book “Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten”, Dr. Perlmutter encourages parents to have a tiny play piano on the floor (so the child can reach it) even for babies.76
What about formal instruction? That depends not just on the child but also on the instrument. Dr. Perlmutter says to have their child started with formal music instruction, such as piano, by age 4 76. One violin teacher’s site recommends starting lessons between “3.5 and 6 years old.” 77 So these are both choices even preschoolers can handle. Others can be switched to later. For instance, for clarinet or saxophone lessons, the child has to wait until around 8 and 10, respectively78. Children are likely not big enough to handle even a 3/4 double bass until they are in their teens, and thus would need to start with something like a bass guitar first, which can be started when the child is around 7 to 9 years old79.
32. Use Velcro
Using Velcro is another life skill, such as for opening and closing Velcro shoes, exercise gloves, and other types of clothing.
Velcro is also used in some interactive books as well as in some quiet/activity books.
From which age can children use Velcro?
According to Lovevery, children might be ready to do a lot to put on their own shoes (including fastening Velcro straps) between 25 and 30 months.86 According to the CPSC, 3-year-olds have the fine motor skills to handle assembling a multi-part toy food that has pieces connecting with Velcro and use Velcro mittens to catch a ball87. The age range for quiet books is 1 to 10, depending on the specific activities included88.
33. Use felt
Another thing that can be part of quiet books is felt.
Felt (or sometimes flannel) is also used as boards, which can be used for storytelling, learning about shapes, colors, etc., or other activities.90
Another way to use felt is to make felt pockets. The child then practices for instance putting colored craft sticks into the corresponding pocket.91
From which age can children use felt?
The age range for quiet books is 1 to 10, depending on the specific activities included88. The felt pocket activity can be done with 13- to 15-month-olds. They just need to get a craft stick into the pocket. Matching the color of the stick and pocket is something for older kids91. Felt and flannel boards are geared towards children aged “three to eight”.90
34. Use magnets
That is another everyday life skill that requires fine motor skills.
Similar to felt and velcro, magnets can also be used as part of activity books. They can also be played with on the fridge or on magnetic boards.
An important note: magnets can lead to life-threatening injuries when swallowed92. Keep any small, high-powered magnets completely out of reach. Even with normal refrigerator magnets, supervise closely.
From which age can children use magnets?
Some books with magnets carry an age recommendation of about 12 months, others are geared for 24 months and older.93 Children might be fascinated by trying to move around fridge magnets even before 12 months.94
35. Use zippers
Using zippers is another everyday life skill. Like with buttons, children can learn using zippers with the help of doll clothes, a frame, etc. as well as with their own clothing
From which age can children use zippers?
Children can slide a zipper around on something stiff like a carry-on bag even as young toddlers. According to MamaOT, at around 1 1/2 to 2 years they can then “[u]nzip[] [a] zipper with [a] large tab” and “[p]ull[] [a] large zipper tab up if [an] adult holds [the] bottom taut”. At 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years, they can then “[u]nzip[] and unsnap[] clothing while wearing it.” At 5 to 6 years, they “[c]an hook and zip up a zipper while wearing the clothing”.51
36. Use clothespins
Drying clothes on a line is one example of an everyday life skill involving clothespins.97 You can also use clothespins to dry artwork. Or use them as part of decorating with photos.
There are also so many clothespin play ideas, such as hanging up the alphabet or spelling words, color matching or number matching, going on a clothespin scavenger hunt, fort building, marking an answer, and more.
From which age can children use clothespins?
An old-style peg clothespin can be easier for younger toddlers than wooden clothespins with a spring. A child can use them at around 22 months.98 Traditional wooden clothespins require a bit of strength to open, so your child might not be able to use them until closer to around 2 1/2.99
37. Use a hole punch
Using a hole punch is another everyday life activity.
Besides random holes or holes to file something, children can punch out “shapes and progress to letters and eventually their name or an art project. […] Draw where you want your student to punch out.” Use close adult supervision.100
From which age can children use hole punches?
“Children around 2 or 3 can practice the hole punch with thin paper”.63
38. Use keys
Using keys is another everyday life skill.
Children usually practice this with padlocks.102
From which age can children use keys?
Before they can use a key, children need to master using a turning motion first and be able to insert the key. In Montessori, ‘locks and keys’ activities are for children aged 3 to 6102.
39. Play with other fine motor toys
There are a lot of toys that are advertised as being good for children’s fine motor development, such as ‘Feed the x’, ‘Fine Motor Hedgehog’, or bead mazes. Surprisingly, there doesn’t seem to be much research that evaluates specific toys.
Children often master them quite quickly, so see whether your library has them (or if you can get them for free or really cheap).
From which age can children play with other fine motor toys?
That depends on the specific toy. Bead mazes are often advertised for around 18 months and on72. As is the ‘fine motor hedgehog’ – but as the reviews show it can be mastered by children as young as 14 months73.
Why are there no apps or online games on the list?
In general, toddlers should not have screen time, except for things like video calls with loved ones, because it is bad for their brain and language development, among other negative consequences.83 This includes not just no watching TV, but also no apps and games, whether on a computer, iPad/tablet, console, or phone.83 Even for preschoolers, research has shown that screen time is not good for brain development84.
But what about fine motor skills, specifically? Because “[n]umerous touch-screen applications designed to support […] fine motor development for young children are available”, one study compared a group of preschoolers using tablets to a group that was not. The result: “Children in the non-tablet group” scored significantly better in the fine motor skill tests than the ones that were using tablets .85
Won’t my child just develop fine motor skills automatically as s/he grows?
Yes and no. Certainly, everyday activities such as eating and free play also help to develop fine motor skills. However, a small study of 4-year-old children in the U.S. found that (independent of their fine motor skills), children spent “very little time in high-motor challenging activities” such as “stringing beads” or “cutting” during free play. 18 So without encouragement and help from you, your child might not choose challenging activities to develop his/her skills.
And the amount of fine-motor-skills-promoting activities children do makes a big difference. Low motor skills are increasingly common. In one study, nearly 25% of preschoolers (“from low-income communities”) were ‘at risk’ or ‘delayed’ in their fine motor skills. Boys had a higher risk of being delayed than girls95. “Many children are arriving at kindergarten lacking the basic fine motor skills needed to hold a pencil […]”44. And it’s not just preschool and kindergarten children. A study that looked at “children aged 6 to 12” found “that all the children, except for 2nd graders, performed below expected proficiency levels”.41
Many attribute low fine motor skills to engaging less with fine-motor-skills-promoting activities (like scissors, puzzles, or Lego) and more time using a screen (including touch screens)41,44.
References
1 Ages and Stages (ASQ3) qustionnaires for 2 (https://cgfm.com/wp-content/uploads/ASQ-2mo.pdf), 4 (https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities%20Mental%20Health/ASQ/ASQ%203%204%20Months.pdf), 6 (https://drgeorgekids.com/pdfs/6-month-ASQ.pdf), 8 (https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities%20Mental%20Health/ASQ/ASQ%203%208%20Months.pdf), 9 (https://broadwaymedicalclinic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/9-Month-ASQ.pdf) and 10 months (https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities%20Mental%20Health/ASQ/ASQ%203%2010%20Months.pdf) (last checked Dec 21, 2023).
2 Cleveland Clinic. Fine Motor Skills. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/25235-fine-motor-skills (last checked Dec 25, 2023)
3 ASQ3 (Ages and Stages) Questionnaires (all last checked Dec 25, 2023) 12 months: https://portsmouth.tricare.mil/Portals/130/12 month asq.pdf 14 months: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities Mental Health/ASQ/ASQ 3 14 Months.pdf 16 months: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities Mental Health/ASQ/ASQ 3 16 Months.pdf 18 months: https://musckids.org/-/sm/kids/f/foster-care/ages-and-stages-18-months-questionairre.ashx 20 months: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities Mental Health/ASQ/ASQ 3 20 Months.pdf 22 months: https://www.broomfieldpediatrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ASQ-3-22-Mo-Set-B.pdf 24 months: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities Mental Health/ASQ/ASQ 3 24 Months.pdf 27 months: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities Mental Health/ASQ/ASQ 3 27 Months.pdf 30 months: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities Mental Health/ASQ/ASQ 3 30 Months.pdf 33 months: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities Mental Health/ASQ/ASQ 3 33 Months.pdf 36 months: https://ghcscw.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/ASQ_36_Months.pdf 42 months: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities Mental Health/ASQ/ASQ 3 42 Months.pdf 48 months: https://www.cgfm.com/wp-content/uploads/ASQ-48-month-to-4-years.pdf 54 months: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities%20Mental%20Health/ASQ/ASQ%203%2054%20Months.pdf
4 Cinar, E., Fitzpatrick, C., Lopes Almeida, M., Camden, C. and Garon-Carrier, G. (2023) Motor Skills are More Strongly Associated to Academic Performance for Girls Than Boys https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/08295735231173518#:~:text=Children%20with%20better%20motor%20abilities,school%20entry%2C%20particularly%20in%20girls. (last checked Dec 25, 2023)
5 Cameron, C.E., Brock, L.L., Murrah, W.M., Bell, L.H., Worzalla, S.L., Grissmer, D. and Morrison, F.J. (2020) Fine Motor Skills and Executive Function Both Contribute to Kindergarten Achievement https://humanescientist.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/castl_brief-cameron_brock_2012_child_development.pdf (last checked Dec 25, 2023)
6 literature review in Rule, A.C. and Stewart, R.A. (2002). Effects of Practical Life Materials on Kindergartners’ Fine Motor Skills https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1023/A:1016533729704.pdf referencing Losse et al. (1991)
7 literature review in Rule, A.C. and Stewart, R.A. (2002). Effects of Practical Life Materials on Kindergartners’ Fine Motor Skills https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1023/A:1016533729704.pdf referencing Reno (1995) and Share, Jorm, Maclean, and Matthews (1984), literature review in Bhatia, P., Davis, A. and Shamas-Brandt, E. (2015) Educational Gymnastics: The Effectiveness of Montessori Practical Life Activities in Developing Fine Motor Skills in Kindergartners.https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5741ef0ab6aa602930bcd5ad/t/5742973545bf2172616cee7a/1463981878859/Educational_Gymnastics.pdf (last checked Dec 26, 2023), referencing Brown (2010), Grissmer, Grimm, Aiyer, Murrah & Steele (2010) and Reno (1995)
8 Rule, A.C. and Stewart, R.A. (2002). Effects of Practical Life Materials on Kindergartners’ Fine Motor Skills https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1023/A:1016533729704.pdf
9 How we montessori (2015). Five Minute Montessori - Give the child some tongs! https://www.howwemontessori.com/how-we-montessori/2015/12/five-minute-montessori-give-the-child-some-tongs-.html
10 Beagle, M. (2022) Practical Life: Avoiding the Pinterest Pitfall (From the Summer 2022 Issue of Montessori Life Magazine https://amshq.org/Blog/2022-06-06-Practical-Life-Avoiding-the-Pinterest-Pitfall
11 literature review in Bhatia, P., Davis, A. and Shamas-Brandt, E. (2015) Educational Gymnastics: The Effectiveness of Montessori Practical Life Activities in Developing Fine Motor Skills in Kindergartners.https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5741ef0ab6aa602930bcd5ad/t/5742973545bf2172616cee7a/1463981878859/Educational_Gymnastics.pdf (last checked Dec 26, 2023) referencing Grissmer, Grimm, Aiyer, Murrah & Steele (2010)
12 literature review in Bhatia, P., Davis, A. and Shamas-Brandt, E. (2015) Educational Gymnastics: The Effectiveness of Montessori Practical Life Activities in Developing Fine Motor Skills in Kindergartners.https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5741ef0ab6aa602930bcd5ad/t/5742973545bf2172616cee7a/1463981878859/Educational_Gymnastics.pdf (last checked Dec 26, 2023) referencing Cantell, Smyth & Ahonen (1994)
13 literature review in Bhatia, P., Davis, A. and Shamas-Brandt, E. (2015) Educational Gymnastics: The Effectiveness of Montessori Practical Life Activities in Developing Fine Motor Skills in Kindergartners.https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5741ef0ab6aa602930bcd5ad/t/5742973545bf2172616cee7a/1463981878859/Educational_Gymnastics.pdf (last checked Dec 26, 2023) referencing Miquelote, Santos, Cacola, Montebelo & Gabbard (2012)
14 literature review in Bhatia, P., Davis, A. and Shamas-Brandt, E. (2015) Educational Gymnastics: The Effectiveness of Montessori Practical Life Activities in Developing Fine Motor Skills in Kindergartners.https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5741ef0ab6aa602930bcd5ad/t/5742973545bf2172616cee7a/1463981878859/Educational_Gymnastics.pdf (last checked Dec 26, 2023) referencing Diamond (2000), but then going on to summarize other research that supports that point as well
15 literature review in Bhatia, P., Davis, A. and Shamas-Brandt, E. (2015) Educational Gymnastics: The Effectiveness of Montessori Practical Life Activities in Developing Fine Motor Skills in Kindergartners.https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5741ef0ab6aa602930bcd5ad/t/5742973545bf2172616cee7a/1463981878859/Educational_Gymnastics.pdf (last checked Dec 26, 2023) referencing James (2010) and James & Engelhardt (2012)
16 Bhatia, P., Davis, A. and Shamas-Brandt, E. (2015) Educational Gymnastics: The Effectiveness of Montessori Practical Life Activities in Developing Fine Motor Skills in Kindergartners. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5741ef0ab6aa602930bcd5ad/t/5742973545bf2172616cee7a/1463981878859/Educational_Gymnastics.pdf
17 Asakawa, A., Murakami, T., Shinichiro, S. (2019). Effect of fine motor skills training on arithmetical ability in children https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/17405629.2017.1385454?needAccess=true (last checked Dec 26, 2023);
18 Marr, D., Cermak, S., Cohn, E.S., Henderson, A. (2004) The Relationship Between Fine-Motor Play and Fine-Motor Skill https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sharon-Cermak/publication/230808322_The_Relationship_Between_Fine-Motor_Play_and_Fine-Motor_Skill/links/0fcfd504a3b6d47889000000/The-Relationship-Between-Fine-Motor-Play-and-Fine-Motor-Skill.pdf
19 McPherson, G. When can babies use a spoon and fork? https://www.happiestbaby.com/blogs/baby/baby-utensils-spoon-fork
20 Dadkhah, M.F.A. (2004) THE IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL PLAY ON FINE MOTOR SKILLS OF CHILDREN https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Asghar-Dadkhah/publication/254429422_THE_IMPACT_OF_EDUCATIONAL_PLAY_ON_FINE_MOTOR_SKILLS_OF_CHILDREN/links/0046352000f44094b3000000/THE-IMPACT-OF-EDUCATIONAL-PLAY-ON-FINE-MOTOR-SKILLS-OF-CHILDREN.pdf
21 McLellan, T. Purdue Pegboard Dexterity Test https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_2322#:~:text=The%20Purdue%20Pegboard%20is%20often,motor%20skills%20and%20co%2Dordination. (preview)
22 https://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-A5640-Connect-4-Game/dp/B00D8STBHY#:~:text=The%20Connect%204%20game%20is%20a%20great%20choice%20for%20a,For%20ages%206%20and%20up.
23 Lovevery https://lovevery.com/community/blog/child-development/when-to-give-your-baby-their-own-spoon/
24 Chen, Y.H., Chang, J.H. (2021) Establishment and Discussion of the Design Criteria for Training Chopsticks for Children https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-74605-6_8
25 Qi, Y., Tan, S. Sui, M., Wang, J. (2018). SUPERVISED PHYSICAL TRAINING IMPROVES FINE MOTOR SKILLS OF 5-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN https://www.scielo.br/j/rbme/a/BMKVch4nk8fFsNzDb9Q5BRr/?lang=en&stop=previous&format=html#
26 Boston CHildren's Museum. Learn to use chopsticks. https://japanesehouse.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdfs/PR_KNM_00chopsticks_2014_FINAL.pdf
27 e.g. https://www.howwemontessori.com/how-we-montessori/2021/11/what-are-the-best-childrens-chopsticks-training-chopsticks-chopstick-helpers-.html, https://www.reddit.com/r/toddlers/comments/yzupal/recommendations_for_young_toddler_chopsticks/, https://community.babycenter.com/post/a12871325/how_old_to_start_teaching_baby_to_use_chopsticks
28 Wonderful world of Montessori. Tweezing. https://www.wonderfulmontessori.com/tweezing
29 e.g., https://carrotsareorange.com/tweezing/ https://www.howwemontessori.com/how-we-montessori/2020/04/tweezers-for-toddlers-which-ones-to-choose.html
30 e.g., https://reachformontessori.com/practical-life-montessori-water-pouring-activity/ https://montessoriacademy.com.au/montessori-at-home/toddler-resources/scooping-spooning-and-pouring/, https://www.dailymontessori.com/montessori-activities/food-activities/pouring-drink/, https://www.thekavanaughreport.com/2015/08/montessori-toddler-introducing-water.html
31 Sutapa, P., Arjuna, F., Prasetyo, Y., Prihatanta, H. (2018). Differences of Influence of Playing Playdough and
Puzzles on Fine Motor Skills and Logical-
Mathematical Intelligence in Early Childhood. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 278. 2nd Yogyakarta International Seminar on Health, Physical Education, and Sport Science (YISHPESS 2018)
1st Conference on Interdisciplinary Approach in Sports (CoIS 2018) (abstract); Darizal, Sutapa, P., Shartini, B., Sabillah, M.I., Annasai, F. (2023) The Effect of Playdough Play on Early Childhood Fine Motor
Improvement in Yogyakarta National Kindergarten INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, 6 (3), p. 879-883 (abstract).
32 e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Play-Doh-Modeling-Compound-Non-Toxic-Exclusive/dp/B00JM5GW10, https://www.amazon.com/Play-Doh-Starter-Kitchen-Accessories-Preschool/dp/B0BDGPL1T8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=ABB6BA19ITP8&keywords=playdoh+starter+chef&qid=1703688752&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=playdoh+starter+chef%2Ctoys-and-games%2C149&sr=1-2
33 e.g., https://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/10/introducing-playdough-to-babies-and.html?m=1 , http://www.clickpraylove.com/2011/08/pre-toddler-12-18-months-activity-5.html
34 Play Dough https://missouripoisoncenter.org/is-this-a-poison/play-dough/#:~:text=It%20should%20be%20made%20clear,or%20loose%20stool%20may%20occur.
35 e.g., https://piccalio.com/products/mini-cutter-wooden-knife-for-children
36 research summary in https://parentingscience.com/toy-blocks/
37 e.g. https://brickfact.com/blog/guidebooks/lego-from-which-age-guide-for-duplo-and-co
38 Safira, N. (2023). The Effect of Puzzle Playing Therapy on Fine Motor Development in Preschool Children. Journal of Complimentary Nursing. Abstract. https://journals.sagamediaindo.org/index.php/JCN/article/view/61
39 Schulman, K. (2023) Types Of Puzzles For Toddlers And Preschoolers: A Helpful Guide. https://raisedgrounded.com/types-of-puzzles-for-toddlers-a-helpful-guide/#What_are_the_benefits_of_puzzles_for_toddlers_and_preschoolers referencing Levine, S. C., Ratliff, K. R., Huttenlocher, J., & Cannon, J. (2012). Early puzzle play: A predictor of preschoolers' spatial transformation skill. Developmental Psychology, Abstract. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-24641-001
40 Lovevery. The Babbler Play Kit. https://lovevery.com/products/the-play-kits-the-babbler
41 Chu, S.L., Saenz, M., Wurk, F. (2016). Connectors in Maker Kits: Investigating Children’s Motor Abilities in Making https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/2930674.2930714 referencing a study by Gaul & Issartel (2016)
42 e.g. https://www.amazon.com/GraceDuck-Kids-Tool-Bench-Wooden/dp/B0BQ39KP41/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3D38Y58TOQPZ6&keywords=toy+bench+toddler&qid=1703761597&sprefix=toy+bench+toddler%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-5, https://www.amazon.com/Matador-Maker-M108-Construction-Austria/dp/B084XQHNDF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y42FEHER4U26&keywords=matador+construction&qid=1703761282&sprefix=matador+construction%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc, https://www.amazon.com/Engineering-Building-Learning-Construction-Educational/dp/B0CDBX5HY1/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1SRTK50BLTL5B&keywords=erector+construction+kit&qid=1703761359&sprefix=erector+construction+kit%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-2
43 e.g. https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/woodworking-with-kids#:~:text=Keeping%20it%20Safe,preschool%20children%20for%20many%20years.
44 Guddemi, M. (2017) What is happening to fine motor development? https://www.communityplaythings.co.uk/learning-library/articles/what-is-happening-to-fine-motor-development#:~:text=This%20lack%20of%20dexterity%20in,manipulatives%20in%20their%20daily%20lives.
45 e.g., https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/8941757/15-month-old-fascinated-with-light-switches, https://everydaycvi.com/2019/03/07/highlighting-light-switches/, https://community.babycenter.com/post/a74039456/baby-obsessed-with-turning-on-lights?page=2
46 Rodgers, L. (2021). When Do Kids Start Coloring and Scribbling?. https://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/scribble/
47 How we Montessori. Notes to a Montessori Parent - Reasons to Provide Crayons (& Pencils) Before Markers https://www.howwemontessori.com/how-we-montessori/2020/08/notes-to-a-montessori-parent-reasons-to-provide-crayons-before-markers.html
48 e.g. https://www.bellalunatoys.com/collections/waldorf-toys-for-1-year-olds/products/threading-game-on-the-farm, https://www.etsy.com/listing/1097318425/wood-lacing-toy-balancing-stones?click_key=1efafe6cda9aa61b25f3bd35ff6f040dff2d80c9%3A1097318425&click_sum=7262da96&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=lacing+stacking+stones&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&organic_search_click=1&pro=1&etp=1&sts=1&referrer_page_guid=b67f1d3f-5e44-4d6e-bbaf-584684d0b392
49 e.g., Team Slice. Children's scissors: finding a safe and effective pair. https://blog.sliceproducts.com/blog/childrens-scissors#:~:text=It%27s%20generally%20accepted%20among%20childhood,at%20around%20two%20years%20old., https://karacarrero.com/ok-let-toddler-scissors-encourage-motor-skills/
50 https://themontessoriroom.com/blogs/montessori-tips/how-to-safely-introduce-scissors-6-steps
51 MamaOT (2016) WHEN CAN KIDS LEARN TO BUTTON AND ZIP? https://mamaot.com/when-can-kids-learn-to-button-and-zip/
52 https://www.kindermommy.co/2020/09/Diy.html
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You have some awesome tips to help improve fine motor. So important to do with younger children. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing these tips for improving motor skills for toddlers! I’ll see to it that I will apply it with my child. First of all, I’ll teach my child to get used to holding utensils and keys. The tools are easy to find and useful.
I’m glad you found them useful. : )
Great ideas. Doing puzzles is a great activity for helping little ones develop fine motor skills. Thanks for sharing!
Great list of practical ideas to support development. Play is so important for motor development and patience!