From the time they’re born, children are working on their fine motor skills! Fine motor skills refer to the movements of the hands and fingers that enable the grasping and manipulation of objects. The way an object feels, moves, or even tastes can help a child learn about the world around them.
Babies use fine motor skills to grasp the fingers of moms and dads and clench their hands. Babies may grab or hold onto rattles or teethers and pass objects from one hand to the other. As a child grows older and becomes a toddler, they utilize fine motor skills when eating, playing, and exploring the world around them. By the time they reach preschool and kindergarten, the fine motor skills they developed as babies help them learn to write, use scissors, button clothes, build with blocks, and more.
Tips to help your child learn fine motor skills
- Give your child opportunities to explore and manipulate age-appropriate objects. Put your baby down for tummy time when they can start to strengthen their arm, leg, and back muscles. Encourage them to reach and grasp by holding rattles, teethers, or other toys. As your child gets older, they can use their hands to explore items such as foods, textures, and more.
- Encourage use of both hands. Did you know that being left-handed or right-handed can be inherited from your parents? A recent study reveals that the same genetic markers associated with being left-handed may also play a role in brain development and communication between different brain areas. Although children may be as old as six years old before they show a preference for using their left or right hand, encouraging them to use either hand means they can more fully explore their world and learn.
- Expect a mess. Messes can be learning experiences! When your toddler eats spaghetti with their hands, or your preschooler digs into the dirt, these are learning experiences using fine motor skills.
- Use sign language skills. Before they can talk, babies as young as 4-6 months can begin to learn basic sign language, such as “more,” “all done,” or “milk.” These basic signs are ways to communicate and can be steps towards building fine motor skills. Watch the video below for basic words in sign language you can use along with language to help your child communicate.