Developing Sensory and Fine Motor Skills

​Developing Sensory and Fine Motor Skills

​Presenters: Tammie Harris and Hope Perkins

Engaging Activity

Instructions: The participants will write their name using their opposite hand and hiding their dominant hand behind their back to create a name tent.

The Goals of this presentation are for participants to :

• Utilize strategies to develop fine motor skills

• Develop strategies to support sensory skills

• Create sensory material to help build fine motor and sensory skills

​PreK Guidelines 2022

Multiple Choice

Based on your experience and expertise how do children develop their fine motor skills.

• Running

• Sleeping

• Grasping

• Reading

​Developmentally appropriate approach to building fine motor skills

• Fine motor skills are the ability to pick up and maneuver small object.

​Fine motor development has four main stages

Reorder

In which order do children develop their fine motor skills

• Whole arm

• Whole hand

• Pincer

• Pincer Coordination

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

​Whole Arm

​Whole are activities help develop, strengthen, and help maneuver and display control of the whole arm:

• Throwing a ball

• Catching a ball

• Self care (Potty, brushing teeth, feeding)

• Building with blocks

• Picking up and lifting objects

​Whole Hand

​Whole hand activities and skills that help develop the little's hand to hand or hand and eye coordination

• Hot potato

• Play dough

• Gel bag

• Lego

• Unifix cubes

• Sensory bottles

​Sensory Activities are important to help develop the little's arm, hand and fine motor muscles. Here are some sensory bottles that help strengthen the little's arm and hand by providing an opportunity to shake, grasp and move from hand to hand.

• Sensory bottle with oil, water and food coloring

• Sensory bottle with orbis

• Sensory bottle rocks and soil

• Sensory bottle with cotton balls

• Sensory bottle with beads

• Sensory bottle with sticks

​Sensory Gel Bags

These gel bags are a creative and unique way for littles to explore their sensory skills while improving their fine motor abilities.

• Gel bag with letters

• Gel bag for tracing letters

• Gel bag with beads for counting

• Gel bag for mixing food coloring and dough

• Gel bag with glitter for calming

​Our SAVVAS curriculum helps provide the themes and ideas that we can incorporate with creating some of these sensory bottles and bags.

SAVVAS Centergize Theme 9

​Pincer and Pincer Coordination

​Pincer

The pincer grip is one of the first dexterity skills to develop.

The pincer grasp is the coordination of the index finger and thumb to hold an item.

​Developing Pincer Activities

• Clothes pin

• Tweezers

• Scissors

• Spray bottle

• Sensory board

• Tongs

• Eye dropper

• Turkey baster

​Pincer Coordination Supports

• Sock on pencil

• Clothespin on the pencil

• Binder clip on pencil

• Rubber gripper

• Golf pencil

​Fine motor skills help develop our littles strengths and confidence to build their writing abilities. Modeling and providing opportunities for our students to develop their fine motor skills; our littles learn writing is not only about a product. Littles enjoy the process of developing their skills through these fun activities with the ultimate goal of making the connection from writing and reading.

Labeling

Scenario: Little Bobby was asked to draw his favorite animal. Here is what Bobby drew. The teacher asked Bobby what he drew and Bobby said, "This is my dog and he says ruff ruff".

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Controlled scribbling

Letter like forms

Drawing

Random scribbling

Random letters

Pattern letters

​Additional Resources

• SAVVAS

• Goalbook

• Canvas

• PreK Guidelines 2022

• CLI-Engage Collection Activities

​Make and Take

• Item

• Item

• Item