Fall Fine Motor Activities
Children need to build fine motor skills to help them grasp objects, become strong writers, and to be able to complete self-care tasks each day. During the fall season, what could be more fun than fall fine motor activities for preschool and kindergarten students!
Here are 6 activities from my Fall Fine Motor Activities that you can add to morning tubs or fine motor centers each week.
If you want to learn more about what fine motor skills actually are, then you can also read this blog post: What are fine motor skills?
Developing Finger Control
Learning to use a pincer and tripod grasp is so important for little hands. A pincer grasp consists of using the thumb and pointer finger to grasp an object. A tripod grasp consists of using the thumb, pointer, and middle finger to grasp an object. Depending on the size of the object a child is trying to grasp, you may see one or the other.
In this activity, children will use their pincer or tripod grasp - depending on bead size - to pick up and place beads neatly on the line. Since there are a variety of line styles included in this Fall Fine Motor Pack, children can practice making a variey of shapes and patterns.
Work on Counting and Number Control While Building Finger Control
Building finger control takes a lot of practice, so I have also included this fun counting activity! In this activity, children will pick up one bead at a time and string onto the pipe cleaner. By having a strong pipe cleaner to bead, this creates an easier activity since children are not having to bead onto a floppy material, such as yarn or a shoelace. Plus, they are able to work on counting and number identification as they string each bead.
Using a Tripod Grasp to Get Ready for Writing
Using a tripod grasp takes a lot of practice. One way to begin building strength and endurance using a tripod grasp is through this prewriting activity. Rather than going straight to writing letters, children will first work on using their tripod grasp to draw lines and shapes on each card. Then, when it is time to begin writing letters, children will already be familiar with some of the motions used to write.
Dot Markers to Build Hand Control
Learning to control the small muscles in our hands with strength and coordination takes a lot of practice. Dot markers are an excellent way to help a child in this area. To use dot markers, children need strength in their hands to press the marker down, while also coordinating the precise location that the marker will land.
In this fall dot marker activity, we work on building inside and outside vocabulary words as we guide children in dotting inside each circle with precise movements.
Playdough and Hand Strength Activity
Strengthening hands can be so much fun! We love to use play dough to roll, squeeze, press, and shape a variety of objects. In this activity, children will learn fall vocabulary words. Then, they will create the shapes using their play dough colors.
Hole Punching to Improve Hand Strength
In my experience, hole punching fine motor activities can be very tricky for little hands. To use a hole punch, you not only have to be able to squeeze the two handles together, but you also have to form proper hand positioning on the two handles. This is an excellent fine motor skill practice opportunity for older children who need to build hand strength. Plus, it is lots of fun!
Next Steps
If you want to incorporate targeted fine motor practice opportunities into your daily routine, then check out my Fall Fine Motor Activities for practice you can use all season long. You can also check out my Seasonal Fine Motor Activities Bundle for activities you can use the entire school year! All printables are included so all you have to do is print and grab a few materials to begin building fine motor skills!
If you want to learn more about how to get started planning fine motor activities for your little ones, download my FREE guide to learn everything you need to know about planning fine motor activities and more!
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my affiliate links, which helps to support The Primary Brain blog. As always, I only recommend products that I love and all ideas shared are my own.
Written on September 6th, 2022 by Laurin Brainard