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    Home » Fine Motor Skills » 18 Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers

    18 Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers

    Published: Oct 28, 2019 · Modified: Nov 2, 2021 by Vicky

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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 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. #finemotorskills #finemotoractivities #kidsactivities
    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.

    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    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.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    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 Activities for Preschoolers
    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.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    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.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    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 Activities for Preschoolers
    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.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    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.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    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!
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    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.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    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.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    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.
    Fine Motor Skills Activity with Dyed Oatmeal
    This fine motor skills activity is lets kids practice important skills while engaging in a fun sensory activity. Learn how to color oats and incorporate them into a fun fine motor activity with this sensory bin and clothespins.
    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.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    Fine Motor Fun with Pipe Cleaners
    I consider pipe cleaners an essential fine motor item. They sell them at the dollar store so pick some up and play!
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
    Hanging Socks
    Not only does this help improve fine motor skills, it encourages kids to help out around the house. I cannot guarantee they will continue to help with chores as they get older.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
     
    Counting with Beads and Pipe Cleaners
    Pipe cleaners again? Did you buy them yet? Practice counting and math skills while working those little muscles.
    Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
     
    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.
    18 Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers. Love how lots of these ideas use stuff you already have around the house. #kids, #education

    GOT A CRAFTY KID? 

    The folks at Annie's know crafting, so you know they have put together some amazing kits for your kids.

    For girls:

    The Creative Girls Club subscription box will get your girl's creative juices flowing. Girls get two kits each month full of crafting fun. Best of all, the crafting can be done with minimal adult supervision. While she is creating, she will be learning valuable skills such as painting, beading, stitching, paper crafting, and much more!

    For boys and girls:

    These Young Woodworkers Kits have everything your little builder needs to create crafts and toys they can enjoy, while learning important woodworking skills along the way. Your child's first three kits will include 5 kid-sized, high-quality tools they'll use again and again. A new woodworking project is delivered every four weeks, with a new and exciting skill to master. Each project teaches a new, real world skill that kids will use for years to come.

    Related posts

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

     

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    Comments

    1. School Sparks Renee

      February 12, 2013 at 12:49 am

      Vicky - These are amazing ideas. I'm a huge proponent of fine motor practice for little ones. I especially like the colander and toothpick pushing activities. Hadn't thought of those! 🙂 Thanks for sharing. Renee

    2. Sam @ Thrive360 Living

      February 12, 2013 at 5:07 am

      What a great collection! I'm definitely pinning this post. My favorite is the fruit loops tower.

    3. Melissa

      February 13, 2013 at 6:53 pm

      Love these ideas. I have a little one with delays, fine motor included, so these are just the ticket. 🙂

    4. Melissa

      February 13, 2013 at 6:54 pm

      Totally pinned this so I can't "lose" it. 🙂

    5. The Monko

      February 13, 2013 at 8:07 pm

      wow what a great round up. We have done a fair few of these but there are some i haven't tried yet and some that it was great to be reminded of I'm sharing this on my FB page.

    6. Ryan Judd

      February 15, 2013 at 12:39 pm

      I love these! Great suggestions and pictures to illustrate the activities. I will share this on my FB and Twitter page!

      Ryan Judd, MA, MT-BC
      http://www.TheRhythmTree.com

    7. Sharon

      February 15, 2013 at 4:56 pm

      Pinned this to my Grandma ideas board. Great ideas!
      visiting through Pin Me Linky

    8. Sarah Avila

      February 15, 2013 at 6:06 pm

      Great ideas! I pinned this one too!

    9. Kirstylee

      February 15, 2013 at 8:43 pm

      These are great. I was just thinking that I needed to look up some fine motor activities for my kids. Luckily, I found this post just in time. I love all the ideas!

    10. Stephanie

      February 16, 2013 at 5:34 am

      I seriously need to do some of these with my 3-yr-old. This looks great for keeping her entertained and learning while the older siblings are in school.

    11. For The Love of Learning

      February 16, 2013 at 3:41 pm

      These are wonderful! I have many fine motor ideas on my blog too for toddlers if anyone would like to see. 🙂
      -Deborah @ For The Love of Learning
      http://fortheloveoflearningblog.blogspot.com

    12. Shaffer Sisters

      February 16, 2013 at 4:52 pm

      I love this list and that you used affordable and everyday items. I am saving this for next week I wanted to take some time and enjoy my kiddos. I am pinning this so I remember these.

    13. janahowtorunahomedaycare

      February 16, 2013 at 8:05 pm

      I'm running to grab my colander right now, fantastic idea!

    14. motheronamission

      February 17, 2013 at 3:30 am

      I love these! I have a two year old, and I know fine motor skills are something I need to consciously develop with him. Thanks for sharing!

    15. MammaNene

      February 17, 2013 at 7:51 pm

      You shared really interesting ideas!
      MammaNene from SergerPepper.blogspot.it

    16. Nicole Walter

      February 18, 2013 at 3:36 am

      What a great list of ideas! Pinning and will be using later, thanks for sharing! Hope you have a wonderful week!!

    17. Katie @ Gift of Curiosity

      February 18, 2013 at 9:55 pm

      Such a great collection of ideas! Thanks for sharing your fine motor activities.

    18. JDaniel4's Mom

      February 19, 2013 at 5:58 pm

      This is such a wonderful collections of ideas!

    19. Amanda @MissPandaChinese

      February 20, 2013 at 6:49 am

      Love this collection of activities for young children. Great fun!

    20. Rachel Harwood

      February 21, 2013 at 4:30 am

      What a fun and fabulous collection of ideas here! This is a great post! Thank you for sharing at For the Kids Fridays! I am featuring this post at this week's party! YIPPEE!!!

    21. Diana - FreeStyleMama

      February 21, 2013 at 6:21 pm

      Great collection!

    22. 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.

    23. 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.

    24. 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

    25. 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!

    26. Vicky @ Mess For Less

      September 10, 2014 at 6:52 pm

      So happy it will be of help to you Nora!

    27. 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

    28. 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.

    29. kethrine

      September 16, 2018 at 2:45 pm

      great

    30. kethrine

      September 16, 2018 at 3:57 pm

      that is great article from child perpective

    31. kethrine

      September 17, 2018 at 3:13 pm

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

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