Anyone got any ideas on how to develop fine motor skills.

[MrsPear]

Hi ds1 is 4 and he is being transferred to OT for help with his fine motor skills. But it is 3 to 6 months waiting time and therefore was wondering if anyone had ideas for things to do now. Ds1 can't hold scissors much less a pen correctly for example.

There is a mahoosive MN list for this, I saw it the other day. I'm on phone but you could try an advanced search to find a thread with it on - or someone might come along and add it here for you :)

threading, hama beads, big tweezers picking up things, dot to dots, mazes, playdough, lego, using thick short triangular pencils & crayons

Lego!

Also get an easel (ikea do cheap ones) with a whiteboard and give him free access to white board pens so he can practise mark making.

Playdough or biscuit making so he can roll the stuff around.

With a pen, we were told not, under any circumstances, to correct ds as it can put them off trying. What you should do is have free access to pens and paper (we have a table and chairs set up for this at home so ds can draw whenever he wants). When he asks us to draw for him, we do it positively ie not "oh I'm no good at that". When we draw, we point out "look how mummy holds the pen, it's resting between thumb and finger". Basically modelling how he should do it, and suggest that he could hold it like mummy too. But if he doesn't want to, then don't push it. I found these gently gently tactics work much better as ds will absolutely not engage if I try and say "oh let's do drawing" etc.

If you have an ipad, the dexteria app is good

Here it is - actually easier to google on phone rather than search within Mumsnet. It's an epic list!

Thank you so much. I am getting out the easal tomorrow and leaving it out. I am also going to look up play dough. He already likes stickers and foam craft but gets frustrated with placement. We got him talking so we will crack this. Thanks again.