Letter from Ms. Jenn: Fine Motor

Hey Parents, 

Just thought I would take a minute this month to talk to you about fine motor, or small motor, skills. You probably see these in our lesson plans we send out to you or your children may talk to you about what they did that day for fine/small motor.

What are fine motor skills?  Fine motor skills involve the use of the smaller muscle of the hands, such as when doing up buttons, doing puzzles, or using pencils or scissors.  Fine motor skills will help your child learn how to write their own name or how to tie their own shoes.

Every day at Jellybean we do an activity to build these skills.  Ms. Tarah is the teacher that works with your child daily on improving and perfecting these skills.  I thought I would share with you some ideas of things you can do to help your child develop their fine motor skills at home. 

•Setting out different kinds of writing utensils and paper for your child to practice writing and holding a pencil properly.

•Cutting: just setting out an old magazine and scissors and helping your child go from opening and closing the scissors to cutting out a picture that they see.

•Helping dress themselves.  Helping your child learn to snap, button, zip, buckle, and tie.

•Doing all sorts of puzzles or building with blocks.

•Letting children help with dinner.  Stirring, cutting, setting the table, serving, and washing dishes.

•Putting money (or buttons) into a piggybank

•Lacing string or pipe cleaners in a colander.

The idea is to have fun with these activities while your child is strengthening their fine motor skills.  If you want more ideas to do with your child check out our I/T fine motor board and our preschool fine motor board on Pinterest!