Fine motor skills: The key to your child’s success at school

Fine motor skills: The key to your child’s success at school Fine motor skills: The key to your child’s success at school

Children Barefoot Walking, Movement and Health

Find out how gross and fine motor skills shape your child’s development — from big movements to small tasks like holding a pencil.

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A motor skill is, simply put, an action that involves using your child’s muscles. Gross motor skills are the bigger movements your child makes with their arms, legs, feet or whole body, while fine motor skills are smaller actions that require dexterity. When your child picks things up, holds a pencil between their finger and thumb, or wiggles their toes in the sand, they’re using fine motor skills.

Fine vs gross motor skills

These skills are often used together. For example, a child uses gross motor skills to lift a hairbrush, but fine motor skills to grip it properly in their hand.

Here, we’ll focus on fine motor skills in pre-school children and younger primary school pupils. Developing these skills is crucial before starting school, because well-developed fine motor skills make schoolwork easier for children.

In the following paragraphs, we’ll look at the key skills needed at school, different activities that help develop them, and practical tips for parents.

Why developing fine motor skills in pre-schoolers matters so much

Fine motor skills are key to children’s success in the school environment. These skills involve precise movements of the small muscles in the hands and fingers, which are essential for a wide range of school tasks. A lack of fine motor skills can lead to difficulties in many aspects of learning and day-to-day functioning at school. 

Children spend a large part of the school day doing fine motor activities. Studies have found that pupils spend 37.1 to 60.2% of the school day carrying out tasks that require fine motor skills. Fine motor skills include tasks such as handwriting, cutting, handling paper, using glue, opening and closing bottles, using a computer, and much more.

Developing fine motor skills is essential for independence and effective day-to-day functioning at school. Children who struggle in this area may find everyday tasks difficult, such as writing, colouring, getting dressed, eating and managing personal hygiene.

Games and activities to strengthen your child’s fine motor skills

1. Finger Aerobics

One effective method for developing fine motor skills is ‘Finger Aerobics’. These exercises help warm up the hands before writing and improve sensorimotor awareness and hand control (so it’s ideal to do a quick finger warm-up before homework). Here are a few examples:

  • Spider Push-Ups: Place your hands together palm to palm with your fingers touching. Press your palms away from each other while keeping your fingers in contact.
  • Finger Pick-Ups: Place your hands palms down on a table and lift one finger at a time.
  • Fingertip Touch: Touch the tip of each finger to your thumb, moving through each finger in turn.
  • Spider Crawl: Walk your fingers across the table like a spider, while your palms stay lightly resting on the surface.

For more tips, you can watch the video tutorial.


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2. Games and toys

Games and toys that support fine motor skills give children a fun and effective way to develop these abilities. The following section takes a closer look at different games and toys that can help children build fine motor skills.

Construction sets and blocks
Building sets such as MAGNA-TILES, LEGO or other construction sets encourage children to handle small pieces and assemble them into different shapes and structures, which requires precise finger and hand movements. These activities help improve spatial awareness, hand–eye coordination and finger dexterity. Building sets also support creativity and logical thinking. 

Playdough and modelling
Working with playdough or modelling clay is another great way to develop fine motor skills. Children can knead, roll, shape and cut out different forms, which strengthens hand muscles and improves coordination. 

Playdough also supports creativity and can be used to create all sorts of artworks or models. Modelling materials such as kinetic sand or clay offer similar benefits. 

These materials provide different textures and ways to manipulate them, which can be very stimulating and fun for children.

Threading beads
Threading small beads onto a thread or string encourages precise movements and concentration. This process requires careful, accurate actions that improve finger dexterity and coordination.

Jigsaws
 Handling small pieces and placing them in the right spots requires precision and coordination. Jigsaws also support logical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Interactive and electronic toys
Interactive toys that involve pressing buttons, turning dials or manipulating small parts can also help develop fine motor skills. These toys often combine learning with play, which can be highly motivating for children. 

Electronic games and apps that require touch controls can also contribute to fine motor development. For example, games where children move objects or trace paths on the screen can improve hand–eye coordination and fine motor skills.

3. Creative activities

Creative activities not only strengthen the small muscles in the hands and fingers, but also support creativity, imagination and concentration. Creative projects allow children to express themselves and explore their artistic abilities, while also refining their motor coordination and dexterity. 

The following activities are a great way to involve children in fun, developmentally beneficial tasks.

Drawing, painting and cutting
Handling pencils, paintbrushes, scissors and glue requires precise movements and coordination. These activities also encourage creativity and can be very relaxing and therapeutic.

Making collages or paper crafts
 Children can cut, glue and fold different materials, which supports fine motor skills while giving plenty of room for creative expression.

4. Everyday tasks

Getting children involved in everyday tasks can also make a big difference to fine motor development. Here are a few examples:

  • Getting dressed: Doing up and undoing buttons, zips and poppers.
  • Helping in the kitchen: Stirring, pouring and handling kitchen utensils.
  • Tidying up: Sorting and organising toys or school supplies.

Support your child’s success at school through fine motor skills

Developing fine motor skills is essential for children’s success in the school environment and for everyday independence. Putting the activities and strategies above into practice can make a real difference to their progress and support your child’s overall development.

As a parent, it’s worth paying attention to your child’s needs and giving them suitable tools and opportunities to build these skills. 

Investing in fine motor development pays off not only at school, but also later in life. By encouraging and supporting children in these activities, we create strong foundations for future success and overall wellbeing.

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