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fine motor skills

Clotho!Clotho!
in Pre-School and Daycare
how do you encourage you lo to work on their fine motor skills? ds HATES coloring. He refuses to do it at all. I'll say "let's color" and he says no. he if I do get the paper and crayons out he'll just sit there. he might pick up a crayon and say it's too hard while scribbling across the page. I try to encourage a ton and tell him he's doing great. Any other ideas for working on fine motor skills? he also hate playdoh, paints, and finger paints
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Re: fine motor skills

  • Clotho!Clotho!
    thanks I saw those. they look like tons of fun we will be trying so of those.
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  • Halo79RNHalo79RN member
    yeah, dd is not big into coloring and she has no interest in learning to write.  she has written her name a few times (very messy)... but she's a hard head and thinks if she cannot do it perfectly, then she cannot do it and will not.... I try to teach her that you must practice to get good... but really, I do not push it. If you push it, they will just push away more.  So what I do, and I have the bene of another child who is interested in coloring, I just sit down and start coloring alone....  and then she may want to come over and color... sometimes she wants to direct me ... stinker.   but she also enjoys using scissors... so I draw a shape and she cuts it out... or we do other art activities that she's more interested in.  ds has always been quicker with the fine motor skills.  kids are different.  I'm not too worried about it right now. 
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  • omurrayomurray
    My DS has never been big on coloring either - and especially not in coloring books.  If he colors at all, its just on plain paper.  He does, however sometimes enjoy using markers (the child sized pip squeak ones) on plain paper or on plain cards to make a card for someone.  He likes to peel stickers off their backings and use them to decorate plain or construction paper or cards.  He loves playdoh and cutting with scissors.  Also, he will draw at his easel for much longer than he will draw at the table.  Oh - he also likes the MagnaDoodle.  Another good one is stringing Cheerios onto pipe cleaners to make "bird feeders".
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  • neverblushedneverblushed member

    My son is similar.  In fact, he's going for an OT consultation next week for fine motor because his writing/pencil grip/muscle tone is not nearly where it should be for a kid entering K next year, despite the fact that we waited a year to start K because he has a late birthday.

    I will say that at nearly 4, my son was not really interested in drawing either.  I have found a few things that help:

    --use Crayola Slick Stick crayons.  These are hard to find, but try craft stores.  The consistency of the crayon is like an oil pastel, but brighter colors.  My son can see what he writes without pressing too hard.

    --use Crayola "Pipsqueak" pencils and markers instead of full sized.  These force the child to grip the pencil/marker down near the point, where they're supposed to.

    --Legos are a good toy that requires manual dexterity that is not "artsy".  In addition to having trouble with writing and drawing, my son also just doesn't like making art much!  He'd much rather build something with legos or blocks and then take a picture of his creation.

    --a toy keyboard might be another way to encourage fine motor without having to use writing and drawing.

    --Don't try to make him draw something that looks like anything.  Just get big paper and doodle or scribble on it yourself.  If you seem like you're having fun just making lines and squiggles on the paper, even if he starts out sitting there like a bump, give him some time and he'll probably join in.  My son was unable to draw anything that looked like anything until he was about 4 1/2.

    GL!

    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
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  • Clotho!Clotho!
    imageneverblushed:

    My son is similar.  In fact, he's going for an OT consultation next week for fine motor because his writing/pencil grip/muscle tone is not nearly where it should be for a kid entering K next year, despite the fact that we waited a year to start K because he has a late birthday.

    I will say that at nearly 4, my son was not really interested in drawing either.  I have found a few things that help:

    --use Crayola Slick Stick crayons.  These are hard to find, but try craft stores.  The consistency of the crayon is like an oil pastel, but brighter colors.  My son can see what he writes without pressing too hard.

    --use Crayola "Pipsqueak" pencils and markers instead of full sized.  These force the child to grip the pencil/marker down near the point, where they're supposed to.

    --Legos are a good toy that requires manual dexterity that is not "artsy".  In addition to having trouble with writing and drawing, my son also just doesn't like making art much!  He'd much rather build something with legos or blocks and then take a picture of his creation.

    --a toy keyboard might be another way to encourage fine motor without having to use writing and drawing.

    --Don't try to make him draw something that looks like anything.  Just get big paper and doodle or scribble on it yourself.  If you seem like you're having fun just making lines and squiggles on the paper, even if he starts out sitting there like a bump, give him some time and he'll probably join in.  My son was unable to draw anything that looked like anything until he was about 4 1/2.

    GL!

    he loves legos so long as he doesn't actually have to put it together. he will help you find the pieces he wants but he won't put them on. like another poster said he seems to have the attitude if i can't do it right the first time I'm not gonna even try. thanks for the tips.

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  • brightningbrightning member

    If he doesn't like to color, don't push it! My DD really didn't love coloring until she got an easel for Christmas - and now we've gone through several rolls of paper in just a few months.

    We do lots of Montessori-type activities. Using tongs/tweezers/chopsticks to transfer objects from one bowl to another. Using a garlic press (or just hands) to squeeze water out of small sponges. Playing with "gak" (you can Google recipes) and spending lots of time squeezing it. Painting. All of these things make hands stronger.

    I totally ditto the Slick Stix - they are so smooth, like writing with lipstick. Also, my DD prefers the very thin markers - they are much easier for her to control and fit more comfortably in her hand.

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