The Importance of Fine Motor Skills

What exactly are “fine motor skills”?
They certainly have nothing to do with how well you drive a car…but rather form a vital part of early childhood development. Fine motor skills are the ability to move, use and control the smaller muscle groups in your hands, fingers, wrists and thumbs.
This may seem like a small feat, but just imagine – You wake up, check your phone, eat some breakfast, make and pack some lunches, button your shirt, zip your pants, brush your teeth, brush your hair, pull on some socks, tie your laces, turn the car key. All these things require fine motor skills and it’s easy to take them for granted and forget how vital they are.
Not only do fine motor skills help build the foundation for important future skills but also impact your kiddie’s ability to perform tasks without assistance, tasks such as:
- Grasping toys
- Feeding themselves
- Brushing their teeth
- Drawing
- Writing
- Getting dressed
- Buttoning, zipping clothes and more
Fine motor skills develop naturally as your child gains the ability to control and coordinate their body. You can expect your tot to begin acquiring these skills as early as 1 or 2 months old, by putting their hands in their mouth and relaxing their hands!
As kiddies get older, they will continue to develop their fine and gross motor skills. As parents, you play a big role in your child’s fine motor skill development, the most important thing you can do for your little one is to provide opportunities that are fun and interactive. The ability to learn and practice fine motor skills at an early age can benefit them academically, socially, and personally.
However, some kids may struggle with tasks that use their fine motor skills; this can cause frustration and upsets when they can’t complete the tasks. For example, a child may struggle to tie their shoes. This could cause them to be frustrated at the task and avoid it because they feel it’s too difficult. The best thing you can do is resist the urge to do it for them (hard, I know!) and try again or try another activity.
A funtastic way to help your kiddos develop their fine motor skills is with Farm World Fruity Strings. Our interactive snacks are purposefully designed to help children develop their fine motor skills. By using their fingers to pull the fruit string out of the box, they are developing:
- The pincer grasp - the ability to hold something between their thumb and first finger and it is needed for picking things up, feeding themselves, and helps establish a good pencil grip.
- The palmar arches – allows the palms to curl inward, a movement needed for writing, unbuttoning clothes, and gripping.
- Wrist stability - this allows children to move their fingers with strength and control.
- Skilled side of the hand - the use of the thumb, index finger, and other fingers together for precision grasping.
- Intrinsic hand muscle development - the ability to perform small movements with the hand, where the tip of the thumb, index finger, and middle finger touch.
- Bilateral hand skills - the ability to coordinate both hands at the same time
- Hand-eye coordination - the ability to perform movements with the hands while being guided by the eyes.
Not only do they get the fine motor challenge but they also get a tasty, healthy snack!
Helpful Tips:
Fun activities. Incorporating fun activities into your tot’s daily routine can help improve their fine motor skills and help get children over the frustrating bump of giving up.
Build on basic skills. As your little one’s dexterity improves, encourage them to do new tasks.
Go at their pace. Keep in mind that some children develop some skills earlier than others, and that’s perfectly normal.
Disclaimer:
The information on this blog is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If your child has difficulty with day-to-day activities or you feel your child struggles with these skills, discuss the possibility of a developmental delay with their doctor.