Free Guide To The Best Fine Motor Activities for Children

Introduction 

Fine motor activities are movements that involve the small muscles of the body, typically the fingers and hands. These movements are essential for day to day tasks that most of us don’t give a second thought.

However, children with certain conditions often struggle with fine motor activities. These conditions include Motor Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD).

In this article, we’ll explore what fine motor activities are, some fun activities to get your child practicing their fine motor skills, and you’ll discover a full guide to the best fine motor exercises for kids.

Key Take-Away Messages

What are some fine motor activities for children with Autism and ADHD?

Children with Autism and ADHD often have difficulties with their fine motor skills [1, 2]. The good news is that there are plenty of activities that can help them improve these skills.  We’ve included a comprehensive list of equipment-free activities, as well as a short list of fun activities for kids using items like bubbles, Lego® and beads. Here’s a selection of equipment-free activities: Rock, paper, scissors Rhythm patterns Thumb stretch Finger wiggles Itsy Bitsy spider Miss Mary Mack

These exercises are a great addition to the Soundsory® program, a 40-day program of movement to music, which is designed to boost multiple aspects of your child’s neurodevelopment.

What are fine motor activities?

Fine motor activities are any movements or exercises that make use of your fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are the coordination and movement of the small muscles in your body, particularly your fingers and hands. 

Most children develop these skills naturally through play and daily activities. But for some children, fine motor activities can be more challenging. There’s plenty of research to show that children with Autism and ADHD often struggle with fine motor skills. For these children, it’s a good idea to include fine motor activities in their therapy program [1, 2]:

• Popping bubbles
• Playing with Legos
• Making jewelry with beads
• Making origami shapes
• Making something out of dough, like cookies or pizza

A note of caution: do not use small objects that could be a choking hazard if your child tends to put objects in their mouth.

What are 5 examples of fine motor skills?

We all use fine motor skills regularly throughout the day. Here are a few examples of fine motor skills that we use every day:

• Handwriting
• Brushing your teeth
• Zipping and unzipping your jacket
• typing on a computer
• Cutting with scissors

What is Handwriting Without Tears®?

For children who struggle with fine motor skills, certain activities can be more difficult. These include moving objects with their fingertips, using scissors, learning to tie their shoelaces and using pens or pencils. For this reason, handwriting can be particularly challenging for children who need help with their fine motor skills. 
Handwriting Without Tears® is a program developed by Occupational Therapists. It’s specifically designed to help children from Pre-K–5 develop their fine motor, vocabulary and alphabet knowledge to help with writing letters. This program activates the tactile system when forming the letters.  It uses the wet, dry, try approach as well as building letters using manipulatives. This program would make a great complementary therapy to the Soundsory® program.

What are the best “no equipment necessary” fine motor activities for kids?

Fine motor exercises are mixed in throughout the Soundsory® program.  However they could also be used as a good warm up prior to coloring, homework, writing work, or even as a break from computer work. 

In this guide we’ll present what we consider to be the best equipment-free exercises for fine motor development. For most of our exercises we’ve included three different versions of the exercises. These include: 

1. An original version which is ideally how the exercises should be completed. 
2. A modified version for children who find motor skills a bit more challenging.  
3. A simplified version for children who struggle with more complex motor skills and directions. 

The original and modified versions go through instructions for you to guide your child through the exercise, and the simplified version has instructions for you to follow so you can support your child.

1. Itsy bitsy spider

Original: Move your fingers like the ‘itsy bitsy’ game. The thumb of your right hand touches the pointer of your left hand while the thumb of your left hand touches the pointer of your right hand, then walk fingers up, always making sure to have one thumb and pointer finger touching while you move the other two. Do this to a count of 10 or along with the song.

Modified: 

Move your fingers to the position of the ‘itsy bitsy’ game. The thumb of your right hand touches the pointer of your left hand. Hold this position for a count of 5 then flip your fingers. Do this to a count of 10 or along with the song.

Simplified: Move your fingers to the position of the “itsy bitsy’ game and hold for a count of 10. Then drop your hands and repeat the position. Try doing this 10 times.

2. Piano exercises (finger lift)

Original: Place both hands with palms down on the table. At the same time, lift both thumbs and then place down on the table, then lift both pointer fingers and place down, both middle fingers and place down both ring fingers and place down, both pinkies and place down, pause and then move backwards lifting both pinkies, then ring, then middle, then pointer, and then thumb. Try this 10 times.

Modified: 

Place both hands with palms down on the table. With just your right hand, lift your thumb and then place down on the table, then lift your pointer finger and place down, middle finger and place down, ring finger and place down, pinky and place down, pause and then move backwards lifting your pinky, then ring, then middle, then pointer, and then thumb. Try this 10 times with the right hand, then 10 times with the left hand. 

Simplified: Place both hands with palms down on the table. Keeping your right hand on the table, take your left hand and lift the thumb of the right hand and then place down on the table, then lift your right pointer finger and place down, then middle finger and place down, ring finger and place down, pinky and place down. Pause, then move backwards lifting your pinky, then your ring, then your middle, then your pointer, then your thumb. Try this 10 times. Then repeat with left hand on the table and right hand helping lift left hand fingers in the pattern above.  

3. Finger crosses

Original: With both palms pressed together and your fingers straight, cross your pointer fingers together front and back and then bring to neutral. Then repeat the same thing with your middle fingers front and back, your ring fingers and your pinkies. Repeat this 10 times.

Modified: With both palms pressed together and your fingers straight out cross your pointer fingers together to the back and then bring to neutral, repeat with your middle, ring and pinkies. Try this 10 times. 

Simplified: With your palms pressed together, cross all fingers together and hold for a count of 10. 

4. Scissor fingers

Original: Start with your right hand up in the air and all your fingers together. Spread your pointer and pinky finger wide simultaneously, then bring them back together. Then spread your pointer and middle finger while at the same time spreading your ring and pinky finger. Do this with your right hand then repeat with your left hand, 10 times each.

Modified: With your right hand in the air and your fingers together, try to separate your pointer and middle finger from your ring and pinky. Repeat this open and closed pattern 10 times with the right and then repeat this with the left hand.

Simplified: With your right hand up in the air and your fingers together, try to separate your pointer and middle finger from your ring and pinky. Hold this position for a count of 10. Then try and hold the position with your left hand for a count of 10.

5. Open shut hands

Original: This is a warm up for fine motor exercises. With both hands out in front of you, open your hand with your fingers extended and spread, then close your hand into a fist. Repeat this open and close pattern 10 times at a brisk pace.

Modified: This is a warm up for fine motor exercises. With your hand out in front of you, open your hand with your fingers extended and spread, then close your hand into a fist. Repeat this open and close pattern 10 times at a brisk pace. Then repeat with the opposite hand 10 times. 

Simplified: This is a warm up for fine motor exercises. With your right hand out in front of you, open your hand with your fingers extended and spread for a count of 5, then close your hand into a fist for a count of 5 and pause. Repeat this slow open-close pattern 10 times with your right hand and 10 times with your left hand. 

6. Stretch your wrists and fingers

Original: With your right hand up and your fingers extended up, push gently back on your fingers to extend your wrist. Then bend your fingers and push the bent fingers gently to flex your wrists. Hold for 10 seconds, then repeat with the opposite hand. Hold for 10 seconds each time.

Simplified: Guide your child through these movements. 

7. Palms together and push

Original: This is another warm up or regroup option. Place both hands with palms together and fingers up straight in front of you and try to push your hands together, keeping your elbows up and parallel with the floor. Try to hold for 10 seconds.

Modified: This is another warm up or regroup option. Place both hands with your fingers interlocked in front of you and try to push your hands together, keeping your elbows up and parallel to the floor. Try to hold for 10 seconds.

Simplified: This is another warm up or regroup option. Place both hands with your fingers interlocked, in front of you and try to push your hands together, keeping your elbows resting on the table for support. Try to hold for 10 seconds.

8. Rock, paper, scissors

Original: Like the kids’ game, move through the movements of rock, paper, scissors with your right and left hands at the same time.‘Rock’ is a fist, ‘paper’ is your hand extended straight out, and ‘scissors’ is your thumb folded along your pinky and ring finger, with your index and middle finger in the shape of scissors. Move through this pattern 10 times.

Modified: Like the kids’ game, move through the movements of rock, paper, scissors with your right 10 times and then with your left hand 10 times. ‘Rock’ is a fist, ‘paper’ is your hand extended straight out, and ‘scissors’ is your thumb folded along your pinky and ring finger, with your index and middle finger in the shape of scissors.

Simplified: Like the kids’ game, move through the movements of rock, and paper with your right hand. Then try the same thing with your left hand. ‘Rock’ is a fist, ‘paper’ is your hand extended straight out. Move through this pattern 10 times on each hand.

9. Pretend to cut

Original: Hold your pointer and middle finger out with your thumb flexed over your ring finger and pinky to simulate scissors. Do this with both left and right hands at the same time. 

Modified. Hold your right pointer and middle finger out with your thumb flexed over your ring finger and pinky to simulate scissors. Do this 10 times and then repeat with your left hand. 

Simplified: Hold your right pointer and middle finger out with your thumb flexed over your ring finger and pinky to simulate scissors. Hold this position for a count of 10 and then try with your opposite hand for a count of 10. You do not have to open and close your fingers. 

10. Miss Mary Mack

Original: Cross your arms, pat your legs, clap your hands. Repeat this pattern at a brisk pace 10 times. 

Modified. Cross your arms and pat your legs at a brisk pace 10 times. 

Simplified: Cross your arms and hold, then release. Try to repeat this slow pattern 10 times. 

11. Finger spread

Original: Place both your hands face down on the table or floor. Spread your fingers open wide and then move them back in together. Repeat this 10 times. 

Modified: Place both your hands face down on the table or floor. Spread the fingers of your right hand open wide and then move them back together. Repeat 10 times. Then try with your left hand 10 times. 

Simplified: Place both your hands face down on the table or floor. Spread the fingers of your right hand open wide and hold for a count of 5, then release. Try this 10 times with your right hand and then 10 times with your left hand. 

12. Finger to thumb

Original: With both hands in the air, take your thumb and touch your pointer finger as if you were making the ok sign. Then touch thumb to middle finger, thumb to ring finger and then thumb to pinky. Pause and then move from pinky, to ring, to middle, to pointer. Try this 10 times.

Modified: 

With your right hand in the air, take your thumb and touch your pointer finger as if you were making the ok sign. Then touch thumb to middle finger, thumb to ring finger and then thumb to pinky. Then try the same thing with your left hand. Try this 10 times with each hand.

Simplified: With your right hand in the air, make the ok sign with your thumb touching your pointer finger and hold for a count of 10. Then repeat this position with your left hand and hold for a count of 10. 

13. Finger mirroring

Original: With both hands on the ground, simultaneously lift your pinky on your right hand and your thumb on your left hand. Then lift your ring finger on your right hand and pointer on your left hand, then both middle fingers. Then lift your pointer on your right hand, your ring finger on your left hand, your thumb on your right hand, and your pinky on your left hand. Repeat the same sequence starting with the opposite hand.

Modified: With both hands on the ground, table or wall, lift your pinky on your right hand and then your thumb on your left hand. Then lift your ring finger on your right hand and pointer on your left hand, then lift your middle fingers on your right hand and then the middle finger on your left hand. Then lift your pointer on your right hand, your ring finger on your left hand, your thumb on your right hand, and pinky on your left hand. Repeat the same sequence starting with the opposite hand.

Simplified: The adult stands behind the child who has both hands on the table. The adult then taps the thumb of the right finger and waits for the child to lift the thumb, then taps the pinky on the left hand and waits for the child to lift, then the pointer on the right hand, ring on the left, middle on right hand middle on the left hand, ring finger on right, the pointer on the left, then thumb on right and pinky on the left. 

14. Clap

Original: With your hands together, clap your hands in a circle clockwise in front of you, and then counterclockwise. 

Modified: With your hands together, clap your hands side to side, left to right. Try this 10 times.

Simplified: With your hands together in front of you, clap 10 times. 

15. Snap

Original: Using your thumb and middle finger, snap your fingers together. Repeat 10 times simultaneously with your right hand and left hand. 

Modified: Using your thumb and middle finger, snap your fingers together. Repeat 10 times with your right hand and then 10 times with your left hand.

Simplified: Place your right thumb and middle finger together as if to snap. Hold for a count of 10. Then repeat with your left thumb and middle finger, and hold for a count of 10. 

16. Rhythm patterns 

Original: With an alternating pattern clap 3 times and then snap 3 times, repeat this alternating pattern 10 times. 

Modified: With an alternating pattern, clap then snap. Do this 10 times. 

Simplified: With an alternating pattern, hold your hands in the clap position, then position your fingers as if to snap. Repeat this 10 times.

Conclusion

Fine motor skills are essential for every child to master basic tasks, but children with Autism and ADHD may find them more difficult. For these children, it’s a great idea to encourage regular fine motor activities that can help them hone their skills.Fine motor activities are a key part of the Soundsory® program, along with other activities such as primitive reflex integration exercises. Learn more about how Soundsory® can help boost your child’s neurodevelopment!

FAQs

References 

1. Kaur, M., M. Srinivasan, S., & N. Bhat, A. (2018). Comparing motor performance, praxis, coordination, and interpersonal synchrony between children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Research in Developmental Disabilities, 72, 79–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.025 
2. Hyde, C., Sciberras, E., Efron, D., Fuelscher, I., & Silk, T. (2020). Reduced fine motor competence in children with ADHD is associated with atypical microstructural organization within the superior longitudinal fasciculus. Brain Imaging and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-020-00280-z