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  • Hi, I'm Vicky, the founder and content creator at Mess For Less. If you are looking for family-friendly recipes, recipes that kids can make, and play and learning activities for kids, you will find them at Mess For Less. I invite you to learn more about me. Thanks for stopping by!

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    18 Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers

    Published: Oct 28, 2019 · Modified: Jul 18, 2022 by Vicky · This post contains affiliate links.

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    It's no secret that fine motor development plays an important role in a child's development and success at school. When I was teaching Preschool and Kindergarten, I saw many kids who had weak fine motor skills. I created a variety of fine motor skills activities to use in the classroom for students of all skill levels, as everyone can use a little help. Many parents wanted to work on fine motor skills at home too and they often asked me for ideas. The cheap fine motor activities for preschoolers that I will be sharing today will help kids strengthen their skills while incorporating learning from various parts of the curriculum. I just love sneaking in some learning wherever I can, don't you?

    These 18 Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers will keep your kids busy while they work on important skills.
    Jump to:
    • Why are fine motor skills important?
    • What items are helpful for practicing fine motor skills for preschoolers?
    • Fine motor skills activities for 3-5 year olds

    Why are fine motor skills important?

    Fine motor skills are important for young children and they affect everything from self feeding to using scissors to writing with pencils. As children grow, there will be a greater demand placed on their motor skill development. They will be expected to dress themselves and use zippers and buttons. Drawing and writing will be easier if your child has strong fine motor skills.

    What items are helpful for practicing fine motor skills for preschoolers?

    • Stickers
    • Tweezers - pinching these and picking up objects with them is a great activity.
    • Pipettes or droppers - use these to draw up and release water in a cup.
    • Ice cube tray - for sorting
    • Lego toys - helps to work the pincer grasp while kids are pulling them apart.
    • Lacing cards - they are great to keep in a car for road trip or to take to a restaurant.
    • Paper clips - attach them and take them apart.

    Fine motor skills activities for 3-5 year olds

    Please supervise children while they are doing these activities.

    Pushing Toothpicks
    I just love easy fine motor activities! This one requires 2 supplies and is pretty easy to take anywhere. It really works on those small muscles! You can find the cheese shakers here.

    children placing tooth picks in shaker

    Fine Motor Work with Golf Tees

    This fine motor exercise will help kids to gain hand strength as they push golf tees into foam. Even a toddler can do it! We use these golf tees for lots of activities.

    child placing golf tees in foam

    Fine Motor Fun Tong Transfer

    In addition to fine motor practice, you can use this activity with pom poms to help with color recognition. These tongs are a great size for kids and you will use them again and again.

    Fine Motor tong transfer

    Play Dough and Beads

    What kid doesn't love play dough? Take advantage of that by adding some beads for fine motor practice. Try making this oatmeal play dough recipe with kids. It works great for this activity.

    placing play dough in beads

    Patterned Bead Snakes

    Stringing beads on a pipe cleaner is a great way to work on fine motor skills. Add some fun by creating a snake. You can also use this as a way to teach colors and patterns.

    pattern bead snake

    Fruit Loop Towers

    Raid your pantry for this yummy activity that will have kids reaching and grasping for more. When you are done, you can make this cereal rainbow craft with the leftover cheerios.

    fine motor cereal stack

    Making Straw Jewelry

    Fun for little fingers! This is another activity that my preschoolers and toddler both enjoyed. When they are done threading the straws on to the pipe cleaners, they will have colorful pasta jewelry to wear and incorporate into pretend play.

    MAKING STRAW JEWELRY

    Woven Paper Place mats

    Small hand muscles get quite the workout as they weave paper under and over to create a pretty place mat. You can laminate these when they are done and use them for meals.

    child weaving paper placemat

    Fine Motor Work with A Colander

    Love this new use for a strainer or colander! In addition to being a great fine motor activity, this unleashes imagination and keeps kids busy. Win!

    placing pipe cleaners in colander

    You Can Count on Me

    Math combined with fine motor work? Count me in (pun very much intended)! This is another one of those activities that just use a few items you probably already have.

    child holding pipe cleaners

    Fine Motor Skills for Preschoolers Pasta Play

    Fine motor skills for preschoolers are so important. Here is a fun game you can make using dyed pasta. Directions to dye pasta included.

    placing pasta in foam

    Color Drop Game

    You can make this game yourself and it helps kids learn their colors in addition to fine motor skills.This is a great activity for developing hand-eye coordination.
    child placing straws in container
    Fine Motor Activity with Play Dough and Q-Tips
    Find out how to make dyed q-tips and use them for a fine motor color matching activity like placing them in clay.
    child holding tray with q tips and play dough

    Fine Motor Skills Activity with Dyed Oatmeal

    This fine motor skills activity lets kids practice important skills while engaging in a fun sensory activity. Be sure to also check out this Fine Motor Skills Activity for Preschoolers.. Another activity that does this fine motor practice with straws.. Learn how to color oats and incorporate them into a fun fine motor activity with this sensory bin and clothespins.
    container with dyed oatmeal and containers

    Marshmallow Sculptures

    Kids will have no idea they are actually building small motor skills while playing with marshmallows. They may eat some marshmallows along the way

    in this fun fine motor activity.

    marshmallow sculptures with toothpicks

    Counting Bead Fun

    Pipe cleaners again? Did you buy them yet? Practice counting and math skills while working those little muscles with Counting with Beads and Pipe Cleaners.

    counting with beads and pipe cleaners

    Fine Motor Skills Water Art

    Find out how to make this fine motor skills water art. You won't believe how easy it is and how quickly you can set up this art activity.

    water art

    Q-Tips and Straws Fine Motor Activity

    This is a great way to help little hands strengthen fine motor skills and work on colors at the same time.

    Q-Tips and Straws Fine Motor Activity
    18 Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers. Love how lots of these ideas use stuff you already have around the house.

    Related posts

    • Christmas Fine Motor Skills Activities
    • Valentine's Day Fine Motor Skills Activities for Kids

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. kethrine

      September 17, 2018 at 3:13 pm

      It is must for working parents to choose good school nursery for the child.

    2. kethrine

      September 16, 2018 at 3:57 pm

      that is great article from child perpective

    3. kethrine

      September 16, 2018 at 2:45 pm

      great

    4. Seema Mehta

      September 17, 2017 at 10:31 pm

      Development of motor skills is important for the overall growth of children and pre-schoolers and that is what I think. The ideas are amazing and the collection is really neat too! Not generic ideas that people think of everyday! It is a really great job by Vicky.

    5. Jessica

      May 07, 2016 at 2:57 am

      Superb activities. I am using them tom improve the fine motor skills of my year old girl

    6. Vicky @ Mess For Less

      September 10, 2014 at 6:52 pm

      So happy it will be of help to you Nora!

    7. Nora M.

      September 05, 2014 at 5:30 pm

      Thank you so much for the list here! I plan to use some of these with the kids I nanny for. Thanks so much!

    8. Ashley Wells

      December 27, 2013 at 5:52 pm

      That must start from the childhood, and the best way to do that is to choose proper problem solving activities for preschoolers.

      http://kidslearninghub.com

    9. Angie Christensen

      May 11, 2013 at 12:43 pm

      We've used the bathroom clings with suction cups on the bottom (like what you might put in the bottom of your bathtub) for several different fine motor activities. Turn them upside down so the suction cups are facing up. The kiddos use tweezers or strawberry hullers to pick up beans or pom poms and put one into each suction cup. They an also use eye droppers to squeeze water into each suction cup. If you don't have bathroom clings, you can also use an inexpensive kitchen mat that you would sit underneath your dishes drainer.

    10. Rebecca English

      February 24, 2013 at 9:28 am

      This is a fabulous collection of activities. My twins are nearly three and will love these.

      Thanks for linking to the Sunday showcase. I've pinned this to our board.

    11. Diana - FreeStyleMama

      February 21, 2013 at 6:21 pm

      Great collection!

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    Hi, I'm Vicky, the founder and content creator at Mess For Less. If you are looking for family-friendly recipes, recipes that kids can make, and play and learning activities for kids, you will find them at Mess For Less. I invite you to learn more about me. Thanks for stopping by!

    Summer Activities and Recipes

    • suncatcher craft
      Suncatcher Craft
    • sea shell decorating
      Sea Shell Craft
    • 4th of july crafts activities and snacks1
      Thirty 4th of July Crafts, Activities and Snacks for Kids
    • bomb pop patriotic cupcakes
      Bomb Pop Patriotic Cupcakes

    Kids Recipes

    • easy owl rice cakes 8
      Easy Owl Rice Cakes
    • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Crescents 8
      Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Crescents
    • monster cookie energy balls 12
      Monster Cookie Energy Balls
    • kid made english muffin pizza 11
      Kid Made English Muffin Pizzas

    Popular Recipes

    • crack chicken casserole 10
      Crack Chicken Casserole
    • overnight egg casserole 12 1
      Overnight Egg Casserole
    • toasted italian sandwich 2
      Toasted Italian Sandwich - Food Fun Friday
    • chicken broccoli alfredo bake 6
      Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Bake

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