Fine motor activities are some of my favorite ways to get little hands playing. They are engaging, often open-ended, and have boatloads of benefits. Creating DIY fine motor tools from everyday items is a simple (and cost-effective!) way to encourage your preschooler to practice grasping, twisting, pincer grasp, and more. (Added bonus: they also help with daily life skills.) With 23 years of experience working with little learners, I am confident you will love this practical list of fine motor skills toys.
RELATED: Looking for a done-for-you list of educational Fine Motor Tools? I have that, too. I added all my favorites in one place.
How to practice fine motor skills at home
Fine motor activities are everywhere; there are many ways to integrate fine motor development into your child’s everyday play. Allowing your child to take ownership of simple tasks will have a lasting impact on your kids’ development.
The purpose of including fine motor skills activities in play is to improve hand strength, get little fingers moving in many different ways (especially in this digital world!), and practice hand-eye coordination.
Practice fine motor skills at home by:
- Crafting with popsicle sticks
- Cutting paper and snipping grass
- Drawing with sidewalk chalk
- Grasping ice from ice cube trays
- Hammering golf tees into a pool noodle
- Offering supplies such as rubber bands, hole punchers, and paper clips into play
- Opening snack containers
- Peeling stickers
- Playing with snap cubes
- Pushing pom poms into an egg carton
- Squeezing little hands using spray bottles
- Squishing playdough
- Squirting dish soap and ketchup containers
- Twisting caps from rice, sprinkles, and plastic containers
- Using pony beads with big kids
- Using tweezers
- Using tongs to pick up small objects or mini erasers
Craving a calmer morning?
Breakfast Invitations are simple learning games that begin the day with play.
5 DIY Favorite Fine Motor Tools
Okay, how will we help our child with pencil grip and fine motor control without buying out Amazon? That is exactly why you are here. (I love my job!)
- Practice squeezing with well-washed dish soap or ketchup containers. They are fairly simple to clean and help prepare for everyday tasks at home, such as squeezing ketchup on food with control and helping wash the dishes. I like adding a few drops of food coloring to allow color mix opportunities.
PRO TIP: When adding colors into water play, use two colors that mix well. Here, I used three colors that will turn brown pretty quickly.
2. Using containers with lids offers a bit of a challenge and problem-solving as young children strengthen finger muscles. Allow your preschoolers to explore this twisting and turning as they set up sensory play.
Here, I added our beloved counting bears to a rice container for him to dump in the sensory bins. If you enjoy these as much as I do, here are all the ways to play with counting bears.
PRO TIP: Want to add more ways to strengthen small muscles? Adding tongs is a fun way preschoolers can practice tripod grasp as they rescue each bear from the water.
3. Keeping pipe cleaners nearby is another favorite way to sneak in some fine motor skill development. Here, my child carefully wraps each pipe cleaner around his collected sticks.
I like to call activities such as this one a two-for-one! Spend the first day collecting and the second focusing on fine motor coordination as he wraps each. Call them a magic stick wand, and you have a winner.
4. Manipulating playdough is a great fine motor activity that typically lasts a long time. Grab your coffee and watch your child play. For more ideas, read this article on how to rethink your playdough ideas.
Not only can you make your own playdough, but you can also add your own everyday items into the play. Grab your dough mat and assortment tray to get started.
PRO TIP: This playdough play prompt has small pieces. Consider your child’s age and stage when making this play tray.
5. Many office supplies can be integrated into your art cart to encourage creativity, eye-hand coordination, and free use. Invite your child to explore the hole punch with this preschool hole punching invitation to play.
No hole punch? I have a favorite hole puncher to share. Spoiler: it even collects the little paper circles. (Yes, please!)
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Kid Hole Punchers
This is such a great set of hole punchers for kids. Keep around and invite children to play with them for free when the activity ends.
Sit back as they play
When children play, don’t interrupt unless necessary. Sit back, sip on something as you supervise, and let your child do their thing. Children don’t need us adults to redirect their thinking. I know, in my case, my child has more of an idea of how to play than I do!
Which DIY fine motor toy and tool will you add to your rotation first? My vote is the squeeze bottles. SO. MUCH. FUN.
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