Developing fine motor skills is an activity that is often attributed to children from birth to 4 years of age. Children who may be close to entering school can benefit from activities that help build the fine motor skills they will rely on in their first year of schooling. Becoming comfortable with tools like pencils and scissors can give your student a leg up in the classroom. Here are some ways that you can help improve your child's fine motor skills to prepare them for the classroom.

Practice Drawing Basic Lines and Shapes

The ability to draw basic lines and shapes is the foundation your child needs to begin writing letters and numbers. Mastering pre-writing shapes and lines is the best way to prepare your child for school. Drawing workbooks for kids is a great way to give your child both guided and independent practice with pre-writing shapes. The workbook linked above focuses on patterns that contain pre-writing shapes that will build your child's fine motor skills, so they are prepared for school.

Not only will this make it easier for your child to consistently and correctly draw letter shapes, but it will also improve their writing endurance. Mastering basic pre-writing shapes can also help your child fall in love with art, as they will have the skills necessary to express themselves creatively.

Work on Coloring Inside the Lines

While you may have heard that coloring outside of the lines is a way to show creative freedom and self-expression, for young children developing fine motor skills, coloring inside the lines is an important milestone. Practicing coloring in the lines is a great way to develop your child's hand-eye coordination, accuracy, and endurance.

When a child can control their art instrument enough to color inside the lines, they will have an easier time when it comes to writing letters and numbers. A study from the Mayo Clinic shows that coloring inside the lines can also help develop a child’s focus and mindfulness.

Perfect the Pencil Grip

Perfecting your child’s pencil grip at an early age will help them build the muscles necessary to master control with a writing utensil. A three-finger pinch grip is the recommended and preferred grip for a writing tool. This grip allows for more control in small movements and increased endurance.

You can help your child develop this grip by modeling a proper grip in front of them. You can also help by manipulating their fingers around the pencil so they can get a feel for the right grip. When your child is first starting with a three-finger pinch grip, have them focus on drawing simple lines and shapes to help build muscle memory and writing endurance. Your child may feel discomfort in the beginning, but after a few days of practice, they will feel comfortable using a grip that gives them more control.

Build Writing and Drawing Endurance

Building endurance before beginning school is a great way to minimize the distractions your child has in school. If your student can focus on a task for an extended time without feeling discomfort or distraction, they are more likely to succeed in their early years of education. Drawing practice workbooks are a great way for children to build endurance while also building pre-writing skills that will serve them in school.

Drawing Practice Workbooks for Kids provide an engaging collection of drawing activities that allow students to express their creativity while building endurance. Writing endurance is built through practice. Your child will be more willing to put pencil to paper if they are doing an activity that is fun and engaging.

Practice Makes Better

Building your child’s fine motor skills early can help them avoid setbacks when they begin school. Each child is different and may develop at a slightly different pace than their peers. As long as you provide your child with opportunities to build their fine motor skills and encourage them to enjoy themselves, you are on the right track.

Any opportunity you can give your child to practice is a good one. Whether you spend time coloring, drawing, or working on writing letters or numbers, you are fostering your child’s fine motor skills. Cutting with scissors, gluing pieces together, and sorting small objects are also great ways to help your child develop the skills they will need to be successful in their first year of school.

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