Manipulation, Fine Motor Skills

Sometimes simple things can make a big difference. We encourage play with different items, always under the supervision of an adult. Straw Structures are a great way to get little ones involved. Most children love to build things, “Toy” like the one shown on these pictures (Straw and Connectors) promote the use of imagination and creativity, can be used separating units by colors, share the concept of multi-dimensional elements by creating different shapes and/or forms use to practice shapes and most importantly improve Fine Motor Skills.

By introducing practical “Fine Motor” activities that require coordination between eyes and hands children learn to manipulate small objects with their little hands sooner than later.

Fine Motor skills include more than just manipulation, it involves coordination between different sensors and/or body parts. Such as coordination between hands, ayes and feet; communication between brain and fingertips (tactile perception). We have previously mention eyes and hand coordination, which requires some understanding of space and multidirectional elements. Ocular motor skills involves how the eyes can follow objects in deferent directions. Each of these and more are skill that as adults we use and take for granted, giving a head-start to our children and helping them develop them from an early age could give them a great advantage in life.

Despite our inclination or mention of specific toys, keep in mind that we can create fine motor skills toys from basically anything (paper, rubber, erasers, lids and many others), be cautious that the tools (toys or material) should be appropriate not necessary to the child’s age but to his/her level of skills, games should be somewhat challenging but not to a level that would be irritating or frustrating for the child.

The younger the child the simpler the toy (skill tool) most of us start them this process when our children are babies even without realizing it, a small rattle probably was the first motor skill tool that you handed to your child as it gets the baby grasping, moving or shaking his/her hands, providing both visual and tactile sensory introduction.

Can you think of things, games or tools that you have used that can be referenced as Fine Motor Skills practical elements?