Use it or Lose it this Summer: Fine Motor Skills

By: Elizabeth Brooks, OTD, OTR/L

Try these 5 FUN FILLED strategies to promote fine motor skills for kids ages 3-7+ while they are out of school. Drop the pencils and try these activities to increase hand control, strength, visual motor and bilateral coordination without writing!

1. Vehicle Car Wash: Toy or family car wash! Use spray bottles, rags, sponges and develop shoulder, wrist and finger strength required for holding a pencil without holding a pencil!
2. Chalk Art: Trace each other, draw mazes, or hopscotch! For additional gross motor skills outside (or inside on black paper), you can create obstacle courses.
3. Pack a Picnic: Practice sealing Ziploc bags, opening/closing Tupperware, folding napkins, scooping trail mix, pouring drinks into cups and/or carrying a basket or lunch box.
4. Baking Edible Play-doh: Stirring, pouring, and mixing promotes arches in hands, bimanual skills, hand eye coordination, strength and more!
5. Kinetic Sand/Clay: Build an indoor sand castle and practice grasp on tools/shape cutters, encourage molding shapes and letters with hands.