Fine Motor Friday! Writing begins with Tummy Time! Every time your little one is on their tummy, they are building their neck, shoulder and core strength. They are building the stamina and strength to support their crawling, sitting and reaching! As they perfect their reaching and grasping, their flipping over, crawling and sitting up will come along. All these activities are super important to your little one’s fine motor skills, without them, they will struggle! Spend the first two or three years on building strength through using their whole body- walk, run, climb!
Fine Motor activities that support the tripod grasp?
snapping (fingers and snaps!), tearing paper, crumpling paper, peeling crayons, breaking crayons, using the tiny broken crayons (can’t use a fisted grasp with a 1″ crayon or chalk! Pipe cleaners- bend, fill them up with beads, zipping and unzipping, eating finger foods, “finger paint with shaving cream, washing their toys, wringing out a washcloth, popping bubble wrap, using tongs, tweezers, eye droppers (food color on paper towels? peeling eggs, tangerines and opening packages too! Playdough with a garlic press, toothpicks and make fingerprints.
HOW to AVOID development of a FISTED GRASP? DO NOT provide any writing implement that is more than 2″ long, do not provide markers (they are too easy to create vibrant colors with, requiring very little pressure with incorrected grasp, NOTICE if your child is using their whole arm to form shapes, lines, letters- that is a sign that their fine motor skills are not yet developed enough and you need to avoid the materials that are encouraging this b/c once it’s a habit, it’s difficult to change.
Fine Motor Friday! Writing begins with Tummy Time! Every time your little one is on their tummy, they are building their neck, shoulder and core strength. They are building the stamina and strength to support their crawling, sitting and reaching! As they perfect their reaching and grasping, their flipping over, crawling and sitting up will come along. All these activities are super important to your little one’s fine motor skills, without them, they will struggle! Spend the first two or three years on building strength through using their whole body- walk, run, climb!
Fine Motor activities that support the tripod grasp?
snapping (fingers and snaps!), tearing paper, crumpling paper, peeling crayons, breaking crayons, using the tiny broken crayons (can’t use a fisted grasp with a 1″ crayon or chalk! Pipe cleaners- bend, fill them up with beads, zipping and unzipping, eating finger foods, “finger paint with shaving cream, washing their toys, wringing out a washcloth, popping bubble wrap, using tongs, tweezers, eye droppers (food color on paper towels? peeling eggs, tangerines and opening packages too! Playdough with a garlic press, toothpicks and make fingerprints.
HOW to AVOID development of a FISTED GRASP? DO NOT provide any writing implement that is more than 2″ long, do not provide markers (they are too easy to create vibrant colors with, requiring very little pressure with incorrected grasp, NOTICE if your child is using their whole arm to form shapes, lines, letters- that is a sign that their fine motor skills are not yet developed enough and you need to avoid the materials that are encouraging this b/c once it’s a habit, it’s difficult to change.
Margaret Watkinson 
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