When educators speak about fine motor skills, they are referring to a child’s ability to use the pincer grip (thumb and pointer working together) to manipulate objects.

A child needs these skills when they first learn to use a pencil to form letters and words, aka when they learn to write!

Children – and grown-ups – use fine motor skills when engaged in normal, everyday tasks. But there are activities you can set-up that isolate fine motor skills too!

Here’s a great example: Thumb Tacks + Yarn

Prepare just a few items before letting your child get to work:

Cork board or foam board
Thumb tacks of any shape or size
Small section of spare yarn, 6-12 inches long
Alternative: Ribbon

Here’s how to invite your child to work with this fine motor skill builder:

For younger children, push the tacks in the cork board, randomly or in geometric figures. Older children can do this for themselves.
Take one piece of yarn at a time. Hold one end and begin to weave the rest around the tacks in any shape you like. Simply tuck the unfinished ends under the taught yarn, or leave free.
Continue to weave the other yarn sections, creating interesting shapes and patterns. It’s especially visually appealing if you use complimentary yarn colors.
When finished, either hang as wall art or unwind the yarn and store it to do the activity again another day.

That’s it! By using a few materials you likely already have at home, you can create a simple and effective fine motor building activity for your child.

Enjoy!