Updated 9/30/2022
Helping your child develop their fine and gross motor skills is critical, yet often overlooked. It’s not on the end-of-the-year public school standardized test, so there may not be time in school unless a child is labeled as having special needs.
Learning to hop, balance, catch, skip, and cut are just a few physical skills that will help a child strengthen their ability to learn. Fortunately, practicing them is fun!
Occupational therapists have great suggestions to assist children in developing fine motor skills and gross motor skills. You’ll find lots of educational ideas for teaching your children of all ages the way they learn best – by moving and playing!
- https://rccinc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Fine-Motor-Activity-Suggestions-for-Preschoolers.pdf
- https://www.pinterest.com/karentaylor2/pehealth/
- https://www.pinterest.com/estachura93/ot-for-pre-k/
- https://www.yourtherapysource.com/blog1/2020/03/18/occupational-therapy-activities-at-home/
- https://theinspiredtreehouse.com/fine-motor-skills-activities-for-preschoolers/
- https://www.merakilane.com/occupational-therapy-activities-and-tips-for-kids/
These are the skills that will help with reading, writing, and learning. They are better than a workbook, and a lot more fun!
**Special note to a few of you. Do any of the following descriptions describe you?
- You worry that something fun can’t be good.
- You worry that there is no proof at the end of the day showing that learning happened.
- You weren’t happy with your child’s former school, but you still feel your child should sit down and do real work, just like they did in school.
- You don’t want your child to feel like not going to school is one long vacation.
Since many of these activities could fall under art or PE, call it that. And if you need proof that your child did something to promote learning today, take a picture! Journal activities. And if you’re worried that it’s all looking like a bunch of party games and way too much fun, just look at who compiled the list. They are professionals who work to help kids make their bodies and brains work better. It’s all about learning.
Karen Taylor’s always homeschooled son attended a local community college after graduating from homeschooling. He transferred to UC Berkeley as a junior, and received a PhD in neuroscience from UCSF. She shares homeschooling comments and links on Facebook, Pinterest, and this blog.
