Fine Motor Tips for Children and Adults

With most children back to school, we know it’s a time of excitement, transition, and perhaps a few challenges for families, teachers, and occupational therapy practitioners alike.

At Therapy Busy Box, we’re here to support you every step of the way! Our curated collection of over 50 activities and exercises is designed to promote fine motor coordination and sensory processing, making it easier to guide young hands through their learning journey.  

Back-to-School Fine Motor Activities for Children:

1. **Pencil Control Paths**: Practice drawing along different paths to improve pencil grip and hand-eye coordination. 

2. **Button Sorting**: Sort buttons by size, color, or shape to develop pincer grasp and visual discrimination. 

3. **Lacing Cards**: Thread laces through holes to strengthen hand muscles and improve coordination. 

4. **Clothespin Math**: Use clothespins to match numbers with quantities—great for strengthening finger muscles. 

5. **Playdough Letter Forming**: Roll and shape playdough into letters for a tactile learning experience.

Here are five more advanced fine motor activities for adults, each using common household items:  

1. Clothespin Strength Challenge Objective: Strengthen hand muscles and improve dexterity. Materials: Clothespins, sturdy cardboard or thick paper.  Instructions: 1. Cut the cardboard or thick paper into strips about 2 inches wide. 2. Line the edge of each strip with evenly spaced clothespins. 3. Challenge yourself to pinch and remove each clothespin using just one hand. 4. For an added challenge, try using your non-dominant hand or place the clothespins at different angles.  

2. Paperclip Chains Objective: Enhance fine motor precision and hand-eye coordination. Materials: Paperclips.  Instructions: 1. Start with a pile of paperclips. 2. Using one hand, try to link the paperclips together into a chain. 3. Continue adding paperclips until you’ve created a chain of 20 or more. 4. To make it more challenging, use smaller paperclips or work under a time limit.  

3. Playing Card Flip & Stack Objective: Improve hand coordination, precision, and finger strength. Materials: A deck of playing cards.  Instructions: 1. Shuffle the deck and place it in front of you. 2. Use one hand to flip one card at a time and stack them into a neat pile. 3. The goal is to flip and stack all cards without letting them slip or scatter. 4. To increase the difficulty, try flipping and stacking cards using your non-dominant hand or while standing.  

4. Pom Pom Sorting with Tweezers Objective: Develop fine motor control and pincer grasp. Materials: Pom poms (various sizes and colors), tweezers, small containers.  Instructions: 1. Place the pom poms in a large bowl or on a flat surface. 2. Using tweezers, pick up one pom pom at a time and place it into a container. 3. Sort the pom poms by size or color as you transfer them. 4. Increase the difficulty by using smaller tweezers or setting a time limit.  

5. Button Pattern Sequencing Objective: Enhance fine motor precision, cognitive sequencing, and hand coordination. Materials: Buttons of various sizes and colors, a needle, and thread. Instructions: 1. Select buttons in a specific pattern (e.g., small red, large blue, medium yellow). 2. Thread the needle and secure the first button by stitching it onto a fabric or card. 3. Follow the pattern, stitching each button in sequence. 4. For an extra challenge, create more complex patterns or use smaller buttons that require greater precision. These activities not only provide a fun challenge but also help to maintain and improve fine motor skills, making everyday tasks easier and more efficient. 

Whether you’re preparing children for success in the classroom or winding down the summer with some creative projects, TherapyBusy Box has the tools you need. Let’s make this season one of growth, creativity, and joy! 

FUNctionally yours,

Amanda Glassburner, COTA