Your most fun fine motor skills ideas

[abc12345]

Hi, my ds (5) needs loads of help with fine motor skills. I’ve done all the usual stuff and Pinterested myself mad.
I was wondering if anyone has any good ideas that don’t feel like therapy...

[blankface]

Pushing buttons, TV Remote, playstation/wii controls. Avoid lightswitches and electrical appliances.

Get him to holepunch some thin card then thread coloured laces through his design.

Generally just helping Mum. All sorts of kitchen activities are good for fine motor skills. Let him help you make bread, the kneading and dividing the dough is good.
Can he use scissors to snip egg shaped balls of dough to make bread 'hedgehogs'

Loosely plait 3 strands of dough sausages he's rolled out to make a bread plait.

Making pastry, rolling it out, using cutters, putting shapes in a cake tin and filling them with jam/making mince pies, (seriously hot when first out of the oven so be extra vigilant if he wants to taste them while they are warm)

Do you have an old throw? Get him a large blunt upholstery needle with a big eye and show him how to do blanket stitch round the edge with a contrasting thick cotton as it's softer than wool.

Would he be interested in learning simple crochet, again cotton yarn is a lot softer on the hands than wool, but hasn't got any 'give'.

[notgivingin789]

Playing and cutting with theraputty.

[Polter]

You need good gross motor skills and core strength to successfully master fine motor skills so doing balancing, bouncing, swinging, climbing, any outdoor activity really, will all help.

Make sure you provide decent seating. Ds stayed in his Tripp Trapp chair for years which impressed his OT. He needs his feet supported and to be at the right height for the table.

The best fine motor stuff is what you do in ordinary life, like lots of blank's examples, just provide opportunities as and when they arise.

[Borka]

DS loved the Sneaky Snacky Squirrel game when he was 5. You have to pick up different coloured acorns with a pair of squirrel-shaped tongs.

[Throgglesprocket]

Icing biscuits! My DD loves to eat them afterwards. :-)

[tartanterror]

Maybe a bit young yet but DS has got into origami. He was awful at first but is good now - think it plays to his visual spatial skills so he finds the thinking fun and drags his fingers along for the ride....