Toddler Fine Motor Skills: 3-6 Years Old

• Roll play dough into balls and columns (like snakes) Use small clay balls as “dice” for the child to shake and roll. Encourage the child to create other shapes with the clay.
• Use sticks and toothpicks to scratch designs or let your child “scribble” on a piece of clay flattened like a pancake.
  

Paper

• Cut out different shapes that your child can glue to a sheet of paper. Encourage him to “paint a picture” by creating bigger figures with the shapes.
• Let your child tear newspaper strips or tear the strips yourself to have him crumple the paper in his hands. This increases hand strength, and the little crumpled balls can be used as stuffing for other art activities. You can also dip the little balls or crumpled paper in glue for your child to stick on paper.
• Scatter small objects on the floor, such as small toys or the crumpled newspaper, and let your child pick them up.
• Make finger puppets for you and your child and start conversations between them by using finger movements along with “dialogue.”
  

• Dr. Arlin de los Angeles, M.D., pediatrician, St. Luke’s Hospital
• Feny delos Angeles-Bautista, early childhood development specialist and school director, Community of Learners School for Children
• Teena Valdez-Panga, preschool teacher, Community of Learners School for Children
• Your Child’s Development From Birth Through Adolescence, by Richard Landsdown and Marjorie Walker (1991)
• Websites: shrewsbury-ma.gov/schools/Beal/readiness/finemotoractivities.html; freekidcrafts.com/Fine-Motor-Skill.html; skillbuildersonline.com ; shirleys-preschool-activities.com/gross-motor-skills.html; preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-outdoor.htm