My oldest two children both had fine motor delays. So when there was a gift giving opportunity, I would look for items that they would enjoy, but that would also help with improve their fine motor skills. Fast forward: my daughter is now an accomplished pianist and violinist and my son plays guitar and you would never guess they had fine motor problems, but a lot of hours were spent helping them improve their fine motor skills when they were young. Toys can make the time spent working on motor skills much more enjoyable!
Victoria of Mommy’s Playbook is currently working with her son on improving his fine motor skills and helped me pull together the following list of toys. I have included links to Amazon so you can read more about the items and specs (and they consistently have the lowest prices), but don’t forget to look for these toys in consignment shops. You can often find gently used toys for a fraction of the price at a Kid’s Consignment Store.
Hape Shake and Match Shape Sorter
Hape Shake and Match Shape Sorter – The 6 sided Shake’n Match Shape Sorter by Hape is expertly crafted from Baltic Birch plywood and hardwood. Included colored shapes are a circle, square, trapezoid, triangle, star and half circle. The shapes are filled with beads, and can be removed from the sorter through stretching the orange elastic at the top or bottom, or through the cutouts on the sides. Learn colors and shapes, while developing coordination and problem solving skills. It will stay in your family for years. Durable child safe paint finish and solid wood construction are hallmarks of Hape toys. Hape’s toys stimulate children through every stage of development and help nurture and develop their natural abilities. All Hape products sold in North America meet or exceed all applicable safety standards.
Learning Resources Snap-n-Learn Shape Butterflies
Learning Resources Snap-n-Learn Shape Butterflies – Cute, chunky shapes are easy for little hands to grasp. Match up the shapes and snap on the wings to practice shape recognition (circle, star, heart, square and triangle), colors and fine motor skills. Five 3-piece butterflies (heads, wings, bodies) measure (3 3/4″W x 2 3/4″H) when complete. Includes storage bucket. Ages 2+.
Buckle Toy “Buster”
Buckle Toy “Buster” – Buster the Square offers a variety of bright colors, shapes, numbers, a zipper, and 6 child-friendly buckles that are sure to keep your little ones attention anywhere! Buster is the perfect size for on-the-go because he can easily fit in any diaper bag!
Early Learning Ready, Set, Cut! -Little Hands
Early Learning Ready, Set, Cut! -Little Hands – Learn to cut while creating 8 different crafts! Just follow the dotted line! Cut circles and spirals, or snip a strip. Includes easy squeeze scissors, 8 illustrated cutting activities, practice sheet and over 300 stickers. Ages 4+.
The Wikki Stix Book of Wiggles, Squiggles & Curlicues
The Wikki Stix Book of Wiggles, Squiggles & Curlicues – Beautiful, hands-on interactive board book for ages 3 and up. Each page features an adorable illustration with something missing, to be completed with Wikki Stix. Give Piggy a tail. Add wavy black smoke to the top of the bright red train. Excellent for learning colors, and fine motor skills. Ideal for special needs, too, with heavy board pages that are easy to turn, plus Wikki Stix provide assistance with pointing and pressing.
Super Shapes Magnetic Maze
Super Shapes Magnetic Maze – As children guide everyday objects through our fun magnetic maze, they learn to identify six geometric shapes! Kids simply use the attached magnet wand to guide real-world objects–from an envelope to a watermelon slice–to their corresponding shapes…and learn six different shapes while they play. The 13″ x 14″ hardwood game board features three object magnets for each shape, all permanently encased under a clear-view top.
No-Spill Paint Cups & Brushes Assortment
No-Spill Paint Cups & Brushes Assortment – Ten 3 1/2″ non-spill pots have inner safety lid, brush rest, and colored caps with matching color brush handles. Cap colors include red, green, black, white, yellow, dark blue, orange, purple, brown, and light blue.
ALEX® Toys – Early Learning String & Beep
ALEX® Toys – Early Learning String & Beep – Alex String and Beep lets kid’s string big chunky wooden pieces together. This includes 12 wooden beads, wooden needle, cotton lace and stopper. Stringing beads improves a child’s fine motor skills and manual dexterity.
Play-Doh: Toolin’ Around Playset
Play-Doh: Toolin’ Around Playset – Kids can hammer away the hours while making terrific tool creations. Extrude fun shapes with the included multi-tool that includes a wrench, saw, knife and more. Roll and cut lots of different compound creations. Cut fun shapes, roll out designs and load, press play. Set includes two five-ounce cans and five two-ounce cans of Play-Doh, multi-tool knife, scissors, roll ‘n cut dowel, two extruders with plungers, and three double-sided half molds, and trimmer knife.
Melissa and Doug Basic Skills Board – Bear
Melissa and Doug Basic Skills Board – Incredible value and superior craftsmanship make this item a top seller and childhood favorite. Brightly colored, smooth-sanded pieces help build early shape, color and size differentiation skills. Newly redesigned!
Beads & Pattern Cards Set; 108 Beads-Assorted Colors/Sizes
Beads & Pattern Cards Set – Colorful wooden spheres, cubes, cylinders and laces provide plenty of patterning practice, a prerequisite for early reading and math activities. Set includes 20 Activity Cards, 108 beads in six colors, two 36″ black laces with 1″ plastic tips and Teaching Notes in a bucket. Bead sizes range from 3⁄4″ to 7⁄8″. Cards measure 43⁄8″x111⁄4″. • Grades PreK–2
Story Time Finger Puppets
Story Time Finger Puppets – Begin your story and encourage your little one to make up their own ending. Includes: Animal Puppets – 10pcs and Family Puppets- 6 pcs. Family Puppets Size Range: 2.75″ – 4″ Animal Puppets Size: 2.76″ x 1.18″ Bonus: Smiley Face or Mini eraser x 1
Super Sorting Pie
Super Sorting Pie – Includes 60 counters: seven fruits (apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, grapefruits, apricots, and plums) in five different colors. Activity Guide provides fun ideas for engaging children in a variety of kindergarten readiness skills: sorting with the Activity Cards, matching, color/attribute identification, patterning, and counting. Make early addition and subtraction concrete by removing pieces of fruit from a group and asking your child how many are left. Extend the play by encouraging some “pretend” pie baking, sharing, and selling.
Sensory Shapes 8 Piece Mega Pack
Sensory Shapes – Refines fine & gross motor skills, promotes tactile exploration, visually stimulating, bright, colorful balls and shapes in varied sizes.
Hape Color and Shape Sorter
Hape Color and Shape Sorter – This multi-tasking sorter encourages counting, sorting, and color and shape identification. Three easy to hold basic shapes (square, triangle and circle) give young hands a fun workout sorting and organizing. Count the holes, pegs, shapes, are they same? How many ways can you rearrange the pegs? Promotes dexterity, hand-eye coordination, matching and spatial relationships. 10 pieces. Durable child safe paint finish and solid wood construction are hallmarks of Hape toys. Hape’s toys stimulate children through every stage of development and help nurture and develop their natural abilities. All Hape products sold in North America meet or exceed all applicable safety standards.
Body Sport Therapy Putty
Body Sport Therapy Putty – BodySport hand therapy putty is designed to help strengthen the muscles of the fingers, hand, and forearm, as well as improve dexterity. Used not only to develop and enhance muscles, but also as a rehabilitation tool after injury. BodySport hand therapy putty is the same putty used in Physical Therapy treatment centers world-wide. Available in soft, medium, and firm resistance.
Lace & Trace Dinosaurs
Lace & Trace Dinosaurs – Kids love these Lacing & Tracing activities. Colorful, heavy-duty chipboard lies flat for smoother tracing of the fun shapes, animals, trains, planes, snacks, and more. Lacing helps promote good penmanship because it develops the pincer grip. The activities also increase fine-motor control, introduce problem-solving, develop concentration, and encourage quiet play. Laces are 27″ long with easy-to-thread 1″ tips. Pieces vary from 4″ to 7″ in size.
Melissa & Doug Basic Skills Board
Melissa & Doug Basic Skills Board – Young children will have a ball developing basic skills for daily living with our beautifully illustrated board. Each of the six durable activities is fully portable; enabling multiple children to play at one time. Hide-and-seek artwork makes it fun to remove pieces and peek underneath too!
Crayola My First Crayola Triangular Crayons 8ct
My First Crayola Triangular Crayons – Triangular shaped crayons guide child’s fingers into the tripod position. Ideal for children learning how to write and draw. Washes off with warm water and a sponge. Color(s): Assorted Assortment: Black Blue Brown Green Orange Red Violet Yellow
Fine Motor Fun, Grades PreK – K
Fine Motor Fun – Fine Motor Fun is a large resource written for early childhood professionals and teachers as well as occupational therapists. Teachers will be delighted with the wealth of instructional suggestions plus reproducible activities and patterns designed to strengthen the fine motor and visual-perception skills of young and special learners. Included are: scissors skills, lacing cards, stencils, finger plays, stringing activities, dot-to-dot, tracing, finish the picture, mazes, tactile and first pencil experiences, and so much more! 160 pages
Thanks to Victoria of Mommy’s Playbook for helping me pull together this collection of toys.
Victoria says
Thank you Alea for sharing our blog with your readers.
Our three year-old being in physical therapy has really opened my eyes to how much learning happens during play. I think so many people separate play from education OR think physical therapy for toddlers is a downfall. We love having her come in once a week, it is like having our own tutor for him and trainer for me. Here I am, a mother of 5, and I am learning so much about teaching my preschooler that I never knew! I hope more parents understand the importance of selecting learning toys for their children this holiday season.
Thank you again for being so thoughtful.
Victoria
Mommy’s Playbook