Tips for improving Fine Motor Skills at home

(Seaside Family OT)

Fine motor skills are the small muscle movements of the hands and fingers that help children explore, play, and learn. They form the foundation for important everyday tasks – from holding a spoon to tying shoelaces and eventually writing at school.

The best part? Fine motor skills can be supported through everyday play at home. Below you’ll find simple strategies by age and stage.

0–6 Months: Early Hand Exploration

At this stage, babies are learning to discover their hands and begin reaching.
Try:

Encourage tummy time so your baby pushes up on their arms.

Offer rattles or soft toys to bat at and hold.

Provide safe textures to explore with hands and mouth.

6–12 Months: Grasping and Releasing

Babies start picking up toys, banging objects, and learning cause-and-effect.
Try:

Play peekaboo with scarves or cloths.

Provide toys with easy-to-grasp handles.

Let them drop toys into a container for fun repetition.

Encourage finger foods to practice early pincer grasp.

12–18 Months: Pincer Grasp and Building

Toddlers begin using thumb and finger together, stacking, and experimenting.
Try:

Stacking blocks or cups.

Scribbling with chunky crayons.

Finger painting for messy sensory fun.

Picking up small snacks (e.g., blueberries, puffs).

18–24 Months: Two-Handed Play

Children start coordinating both hands together for tasks.
Try:

Simple shape sorters or puzzles.

Turning pages in board books.

Helping with “big kid” tasks like stirring with a spoon.

Playdough squeezing and poking.

2–3 Years: Early Tool Use

Children refine grip and start imitating lines and shapes.
Try:

Using crayons or markers to draw lines and circles.

Threading large beads onto a shoelace or pipe cleaner.

Building towers with blocks.

Helping with household activities like wiping surfaces with a sponge.

3–4 Years: Control and Coordination

Skills are becoming more precise, ready for pre-writing.
Try:

Cutting playdough “snakes” with safety scissors.

Lacing cards or simple threading activities.

Using tweezers or tongs to pick up pom-poms.

Drawing faces or simple shapes with crayons.

4–5 Years: School Readiness

Children are preparing for handwriting, self-care, and independence.
Try:

Practicing zipping, buttoning, and dressing.

Copying letters, numbers, and shapes.

Playing games with small construction toys (e.g., Lego).

Drawing, colouring, or tracing simple pictures.

Baking together – mixing, pouring, rolling dough.

Final Thought

Fine motor skills don’t develop overnight – they grow through play, practice, and daily life. By offering age-appropriate activities, you’re not only helping your child’s hands get stronger but also building confidence, independence, and creativity.

If you notice your child is finding fine motor tasks extra challenging, your Occupational Therapist at Seaside Family OT can provide personalised strategies to support their development.