When it comes to fine motor skills, I think we can all agree that they are important. By the time a kid hits kindergarten, his teacher hopes that he has enough mastery of them to cut with scissors, write with a pencil, and tie their shoes. As a kindergarten teacher myself, I feel confident telling you that these skills are crucial to your child's kindergarten year.
But what a lot of parents don't know, is how to get there. And the truth is, fine motor skill mastery starts long before we ever put a pencil, shoelace, or a pair of scissors into a child's hands.
Between 12-18 months toddlers are becoming more adept at picking up small objects between their thumb and forefinger, and by 2 years they are capable of manipulating small objects with ease. This makes your child's second year (12-24 months) the perfect time to practice, practice, practice those skills!
Here's one easy way to do so. I loved this idea from my friend Justi over at The Buck Stops Here when I saw it back around Valentine's Day, but life with a toddler is crazy and we're just now getting around to it. Plus, I may also have an irrational fear of giving my toddler play dough.
Pasta Slide
1 can of playdough
Straws
Rigatoni
cup or bowl
1. Roll out three (or more!) balls of dough and stick them onto the table.
2. Stick your straws down into the play dough so they stick straight up. I cut some in half as well to make shorter sticks.
3. Sort through your Rigatoni, seperate and curved, bent, or dented pasta pieces as these will be hard for your child to get onto the straws. You want wide, round holes.
4. Put the good pieces of rigatoni in a cup or bowl
5. Show your child how to pick up the pasta and slide it down onto the straws
6. Step back and let them have fun!
I absolutely love seeing how his brain makes connections and tries out new things!
1 can of playdough
Straws
Rigatoni
cup or bowl
1. Roll out three (or more!) balls of dough and stick them onto the table.
2. Stick your straws down into the play dough so they stick straight up. I cut some in half as well to make shorter sticks.
3. Sort through your Rigatoni, seperate and curved, bent, or dented pasta pieces as these will be hard for your child to get onto the straws. You want wide, round holes.
4. Put the good pieces of rigatoni in a cup or bowl
5. Show your child how to pick up the pasta and slide it down onto the straws
6. Step back and let them have fun!
I absolutely love seeing how his brain makes connections and tries out new things!
"Good Egg" Shirt: Swanky Shank
Easter Egg Cup, Easter Straws, Playdough, & Pasta: Walmart
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