Fine Motor Skills

What are fine motor skills and why are they important to my preschooler?

Defining Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are movements of the small muscles in the fingers and the hands. These movements allow preschoolers to perform tasks necessary for work they will do in kindergarten. Learning to use fingers together for a specific purpose is a big task for preschooler.

Fine motor skills are used in a variety of daily activities. Examples of actions using fine motor skills are not hard to find. Eating, writing, drawing, painting, and dressing are some of the common fine motor skills that your preschooler will need to use in kindergarten.

In order to learn to write, preschoolers must be able to develop skills that use their hands and have the strength in their arms to provide stability. Coordinating these skills provides them with the ability to use pencils, silverware, and handle small objects.

Pencil Grasp

One of the biggest fine motor tasks a preschooler has is to learn a pencil grasp. Holding a pencil correctly is difficult for young preschoolers. Preschoolers must be able to hold the pencil in between the thumb, index and middle fingers comfortably to begin writing. This task is generally not accomplished in preschoolers younger than four.

Ways To Improve Fine Motor Skills

The best way to build fine motor skills is practice. Allow your preschooler to button and unbutton their clothing while dressing or undressing. Set a time to write and draw for fifteen minutes each day. Correct your preschooler’s pencil grip if necessary during that time. Help your child use the proper silverware during meals. Set up a paint easel and give your child a paint set. These suggestions are easy to implement and will help your child use the small muscles in their hands.

If a preschool child has a great deal of difficulty with fine motor tasks, it may be time for a visit with the eye doctor. All preschoolers preparing to enter kindergarten should have an examination from an eye doctor. This is even more important for those children who seem to be struggling with fine motor activities. Clear vision is another element of good fine motor skills.