Kids rarely enjoy thinking about the prospect of going back to school. Even so, you need to do your back-to-school shopping. Try to get your children involved so they look forward to using their new school supplies.
Many kids’ supplies focus on the use of fine motor skills. These are the small muscle movements of the hand. They’re used when manipulating small objects and managing tools like crayons with precision.
Take a look at the following for some inspiration of back-to-school supplies that can help build up your child’s fine motor skills.
- Markers. Stubby markers encourage your children to grip them better.
- Mini stapler. A mini stapler increases hand strength due to the squeezing motion.
- Crayons. The best crayons to use are either twistable or regular. Fat ones may look quirky and fun, but they’re not as good for muscle development. Children need to be able to develop fine motor skills by making precise movements.
- Scissors. Scissors are a handy tool that’ll get months, if not years, of use. They also help with accurate hand movements.
- Clay and play dough. Clay and play dough are lots of fun for kids. Poking, squeezing, rolling and cutting out shapes goes a long way to developing finger and hand strength. You can hide small items in the clay or dough and have your child search for them.
- Small erasers. Small erasers are preferable to larger ones as they encourage little ones to make accurate movements.
- Pencil grips. Pencil grips help little fingers hold their writing tools better so they don’t slip or slide from their hands.
Bear in mind that all children develop at different rates. Think about asking a pediatric occupational therapist for advice if your child is struggling with their fine motor skills. Some children respond to several strategies, whereas, others respond to only a few. Either way, a professional can deter