Fine Motor Skill Activities for Toddlers

Small or fine motor skills help your toddler complete precise movements with their hands, like pinching, grabbing, and holding. While babies can start to reach and grab things around the age of 5/6 months, from ages 1 to 2 toddlers have many activities they can try to perfect those skills. Today we will go over why fine motor skills are so helpful as well as some fun toys and activities that help your kids practice those skills.

If you’re interested in Gross Motor skills as well make sure to check out our blog “5 Best Indoor Toys for Toddlers Gross Motor Skills“

Why Are Fine Motor Skills Important?

The development of fine motor skills will help your child become more independent. Fine motor skills are the basis of many personal care routines. Some example:

• Dressing themselves (zippers and buttons)
• Putting on Shoes (Tying shoe laces)
• Brushing their Teeth
• Holding a Pencil and eventually writing
• Using utensils to eat

Toys and Activities to Improve Fine Motor Skills 12 months – 2 Years

Block Tower Toys/Large Duplo Legos

Provide your child with wooden or plastic blocks for them to stack and build with. This is also a great time to introduce Duplo blocks, the large plastic lego blocks that connect. Blocks are a great open-ended toy that allows your child to be creative as they continue to learn and grow.

A love of blocks may eventually lead your child to use regular legos and building amazing things as they grow up.

Puzzles

You can get puzzles for all ages in different sizes and designs. For younger children around the age of 1 large wooden puzzle boards are the easiest to start with. As your child gets closer to the age of 2 they may be more ready for typical smaller-sized cardboard puzzles with 10-20 pieces. Always double-check the recommended age on the box to make sure there is no choking hazard for your little one.

Sorting Games

No need to go out and buy new toys or games in order to enrich your little ones’ activities! Try putting some smaller toys in one bowl and give them a tool to transfer the items to a second bowl. You can give them a big spoon or tongs to transfer the items.

Make sure none of the items are a choking hazard and pay close attention if your little one still enjoys putting everything in their mouth!

Encourage Water Play

With summer coming why not head outside with a bucket of water? Give your toddler multiple cups so they can transfer water from one section to another. Give cups of different sizes so they can practice pouring in different ways. Add more fun to the activity by adding food colouring to different cups. Watch your child make new colours by pouring different cups together.

Want to play inside? These are great activities for bathtime as well!

Colouring

One activity your toddler may already love has had them practicing their fine motor skills for a while! Colouring, be it with crayons or chalk is a great activity for little ones. They may not colour within the lines just yet but practice makes perfect. This activity also helps your little one learn how to use tools with a pincer grasp, which will come in handy for eating with utensils, writing, or brushing their own teeth.

Create a Sensory Board/Busy Board

Consider buying a Sensory Board/Busy Board designed for small motor skills. These toys include ways to practice lots of clothing fastening like buttons, snaps, buckles, velcro, and more. Some other versions include chains and clasps.

You can buy pre-made busy boards at toy stores or online, or you can create your own if you’re crafty. We love this DIY Busy board guide by Something Turquoise:

https://somethingturquoise.com/2019/10/28/toddler-busy-board-fiskars-diy-tools/

Get Cooking

Invite your little one into the kitchen with a learning tower. Have them help with safe tasks like adding, measuring, and mixing ingredients. Not only can your little one practice their fine motor skills, but kids who help with cooking can often be less picky!

When inviting your little one into the kitchen it’s important to be patient and expect a mess. Need tips on how to invite your little one into the kitchen? We have some instructions on where to start:

Snack Ideas Your Toddler Can Help With

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Kinder Buddies Oakville Child Care is a Quality First Daycare and Infant Care facility in Oakville, Ontario. We take care of children from the age of 6 weeks to 5 1/2 providing nutritious meals and fun activities all day long.