Activity Ideas:
Provide two small bowls, one filled with dry rice. Children practice fine motor skills by spooning rice from
one bowl to the other.

Using eye droppers to pick up colored water for color mixing or to make artistic designs on paper.

Rolling small balls out of tissue paper, then gluing the balls onto construction paper to form pictures or
designs.

Turning over cards, coins, checkers, or buttons, without bringing them to the edge of the table.

Drawing in a tactile medium such as wet sand, salt, rice, or goop. Make goop by adding water to
cornstarch until you have a mixture similar in consistency to toothpaste.

Attach a large piece of drawing paper to the wall. Have the child use a large marker and try the following
exercises to develop visual motor skills

Have the child trace over your line from left to right, or from top to bottom. Trace each figure at least 10
times . Then have the child draw the figure next to your model several times.

Play connect the dots. Again make sure the child's strokes connect dots from left to right, and from top to
bottom.

Trace around stencils - the non-dominant hand should hold the stencil flat and stable against the paper,
while the dominant hand pushes the pencil firmly against the edge of the stencil. The stencil must be held
firmly.

Attach a large piece of felt to the wall, or use a felt board. The child can use felt shapes to make pictures.
Magnetic boards can be used the same way

Have the child work on a chalkboard, using chalk instead of a marker. Do the same kinds of tracing and
modeling activities as suggested above.

Paint at an easel. Some of the modeling activities as suggested above can be done at the easel.

Play throw and catch with a ball . Start with a large ball and work toward a smaller ball.

Practice hitting bowling pins with a ball. (You can purchase these games or make your own with soda
bottles and a small ball.)

Make GOO GLOVES! Take a rubber examining glove and put a table spoon of finger paint in the glove.  
Next fill the glove 3/4 way with white school glue. Tie the end of the glove off. Wash off any glue or paint
that might have gotten on the outside of the glove. Then you put another glove on the original and tie.
This will give it extra protection. Squeeze the glove and work together the glue and paint until it is one
solid color.

Make a matching game (pictures, letters,or numbers) using a coffee can and clothespins. Have the child
put the clothespins on the rim of the can.

Use sprayer bottles filled with water and sponges to have the child clean a desk or table, then squeeze
the excess water into a dishpan. This is a great scissor skill activity.

Lace various sized beads. Any activity involving the use of both hands is good to develop bilateral
integration.

Try weaving

Use peg boards
Fine Motor DAZE
c. Marcia Arpin
www.alltheDAZE.com
established July, 1,
2002
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