Fine Motor Skills

This year we decided to have Morgan start preschool.  I looked around a little and decided on a school with an impressive curriculum.  It's not that I wanted a babysitter for a few hours a week (although that is nice with the new baby) but that I am not a teacher.  I don't know how, what, or when to teach things.  For example, my teacher friend had her daughter cutting with scissors when she was 2.  It might sound dumb but I didn't even think of having Morgan start using scissors.  You know, things like that.  And it's not about who can be the best when they start kindergarten, it's about developing motor skills and the ability to recognize and read letters.

We recently went to Morgan's preschool parent teacher conference to get updated on her progress.  She's the most social of the group, which I knew, but her ability to control a pencil is behind some other kids.  So the teacher gave me a list of things to do to strengthen and develop her fine motor coordination.  This post won't be for all of you, but it might help someone out.

1. Molding and rolling play dough into balls using the palms of the hands facing each other.
2. Rolling play dough into tiny balls (pea sized) using only the fingertips.
3. Using pegs or toothpicks to make designs in play dough.
4. Cutting play dough with a plastic knife or pizza wheel.
5. Tearing newspaper into strips and then crumpling them into balls.
6. Scrunching up one sheet of newspaper in one hand.  This is a super strength builder.
7. Use a plant sprayer to spray plants, snow (mix water and food coloring), or melt "monsters." Draw monsters on paper using washable markers. Spray with water.
8. Pick up objects using large tweezers.  Cheerios, sugar cubes, small marshmallows, pennies, etc.
9. Shake dice by cupping the hands together, forming an empty air space between palms.
10. Lacing and sewing activities such as stringing beads, Cheerios, macaroni, etc.
11. Using eye droppers to "pick up" colored water or coloring mixing or transferring from cup to cup.
12. Transferring colored water using a turkey baster.
13. Squeeze a tension ball.
14. Screw and unscrew jar lids.
15. Pick up objects with tongs.
16. Wind thread or yarn onto a spool.
17. Undo buttons, zippers, snaps, hooks.
18. Put keys into locks and open up.
19. Trace stencils.
20. Put paper clips on paper.
21. Use a stapler and remove staples with staple remover.
22. Pin clothes pins to the rim of a can.
23. Use Wikki Stix to create shapes or letters.
24. Type.
25. Play the piano.
26. Fasten safety pins.
27. pick up small items with a melon baller.

Scissor Activities

1. Cut junk mail using safety scissors.
2. Make fringe on edge of paper.
3. Cut straws.
4. Cut play dough.
5. Cut pictures from old magazines.