Fine Motor Skills

The objective of this tip sheet is to promote the development of fine motor skills by encouraging activities that promote fine grip and manipulation actions in the hand. To minimize safety risks, please supervise children who like to chew.

Skill Development

We encourage you to focus on developing one skill at a time by trying a variety of activities that encourage this action.

Use different materials to encourage the child to:

  • Manipulate
  • Pinch
  • Stack (horizontal and vertical)
  • Shake in hand (like a dice)
  • Balance (like on a golf tee)
  • Hide small object in playdoh, take it out and clean it
  • Use small tools (ex: small eraser, pencil tip, small scissors, etc)
  • Practice rotation (simple or complex)
  • Carry with tongs
  • Thread
  • Align

Materials to manipulate:

  • Various beads and thread
  • Tongs
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Small stickers
  • Small pieces of paper
  • Mini crayons
  • Paper Clip (small and large)
  • Mini clothespins
  • Mini pipe cleaners
  • Mini utensils
  • Mini scissors (for sewing)
  • Toothpicks
  • Q-Tip
  • Small Lego pieces
  • Dice
  • Empty milk/cream containers (# 1)
  • Wind-up toys (that moves the toy forward) (# 2)
  • Marbles with letters (to encourage manipulation in the right direction) (# 3)
  • Small doll clothes to put on clothesline with clothespin
  • Small pouch with zipper, button or both
  • Rigid pencil adapters with elongated shape
  • FLIP Crayon (mini crayons with colours – one at each end) (# 4)
  • Mini dinosaurs or figurines
  • Pompoms
  • Playdoh
  • Golf tee
  • Hair clips
  • Elastics
  • Bingos chips or coins
  • Small container with slot
  • Googly eye ring (# 5)
  • Small bowling pins and round marbles
  • Small toothbrush
  • Small playing cards
  • Uncooked spaghetti noodles
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Small puzzles
  • Juice or milk container lids