Simple Preschool Fine Motor Activities

Fine motor activities are part of our everyday life. It is essential for children to develop their fine motor skills to be able to draw, write, lace their shoes, and button their jackets.

By definition, fine motor development is referred to as the development of the small muscles in our body; the same muscles that help us move our hands, wrists, fingers, feet and toes. Children also need to develop their gross motor skills.

Guidelines for Fine Motor Development Between Ages 3 to 5

The Three Year Old Child

• Draw shapes that begin to resemble the proper shape.
• Builds basic structures with blocks.
• Cuts with scissors with partial success.
• Builds basic structures with blocks.
• Holds a crayon as an adult would, instead of clenching it with their fist.
• Gets dressed and undressed with some help.
• Pours liquids and occasionally spills.

The Four Year Old Child

• Draws at least a 4 part person (head, body, legs and arms).
• Draws shapes and objects that can be recognized.
• Cuts with scissors with better success.
• Builds more complex structures with blocks.
• Plays with small size puzzles, play-dough and beads.
• Gets dressed and undressed on their own.
• Pours liquids into small containers.

The Five Year Old Child

• Writes their name and other letters.
• Draws a person and other shapes with ease
• Cuts, hammers, and uses a screwdriver.
• Builds thought out 3D structures using blocks and other construction toys.
• Plays with small size puzzle pieces and tiny beads
• Gets dressed and undressed along with buttoning and tying their own shoes.
• Pours without any spills.

Top 10 Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers

1. Tearing off paper

2. Picking up sticks

3. Playing with play-dough or clay

4. Cutting

5. Coloring

6. Tracing

7. Gluing

8. Printing Letters

9. Picking up small objects with tweezers or thongs

10. Beading

Tip: My son does not enjoy beading very much but he loves making edible necklaces out of Cheerios...

The following is a list of activities children should practice doing on a daily basis to fine-tune their fine motor skills

• Brushing their teeth
• Opening milk cartons or juice bottles
• Pouring liquids
• Using cutlery when eating
• Buttoning their pants, shirts and jackets
• Putting on their shoes and tying their laces
• Picking up small toys
• Setting up the table
• Opening and closing their lunch boxes and Ziploc bags

For more fine motor activities, be sure to check out my advice and tips on pre-writing as well.

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