Fine Motor Finger and hand strength: Skills- pressing, squeezing, turning.

Fact: This is the strength needed to hold and guide tools eg pencils, crayons, pens, scissors etc

Encourage your child to press a hole punch with their thumb on top to create hole patterns on pieces of paper. They could also pick up the cut out small circles using their index finger and thumb and create a collage picture. (keep your creations for a further activity next week)

Using the paper with holes  can your child thread a piece of wool/ ribbon/ shoelace through the holes they have made? Your child could use different colours of wool to make a rainbow pattern.

If you don’t have wool very thin strips of paper will also work

Cut out paper circles (adult to support where needed). Fold into thirds and press the hole punch into it to make snowflakes. Unfold and discuss the patterns you can see. 

Fill a water bottle and encourage your child to press the trigger to fill different containers eg sauce pans, bowls, small buckets.

If you haven’t got a spray bottle, using an empty washing up liquid bottle or even a water bottle will encourage the same squeezing action.

You could even ask your child to spray your plants with water or spray water patterns on fences, floors and walls outside!

Note: Ensure bottles are safe and clean.

Sensory balloons- Can you fill a balloon with flour/ dry rice/ playdough/ water/ unset liquid jelly (wait for it to cool). Can your child squeeze and squish the balloon in their hand- don’t squeeze too hard! Discuss with them how it feels.

Get your child to help around the house!!
Ask them to use a duster to polish tables and chairs using a circular hand movement.

Can they help wash the car/ windows/ doors using a sponge? Encourage them to ring out the sponge/ wet cloth at the end.