Using an elevated easel for coloring activities helps to develop fine motor skills as the process of lifting and lowering the markers to draw strengthens and tones small muscles in the fingers and arms. If you don't have an easel, you can use a chalkboard or hang a sheet of plain paper on the wall. Also, encourage children to draw on the floor while lying on their stomach. This helps with small muscle development in the shoulders and back as they are forced to balance their body weight while drawing in this position. This activity is most effective during classroom art projects and is ideal for children in preschool or kindergarten.
The stringing activity is a fun art project for the kids during the special holidays, such as Mother's Day. Give each child a piece of colored string and an ample supply of large beads, cereal or uncooked macaroni shells. Guide the children in stringing the beads, cereal or pasta shells to create a lovely bracelet or necklace. This project helps develop children's fine motor skills in their hands and fingers. This craft is effective for older elementary-aged children in the first, second or third grade.
Dressing up baby dolls works well to develop fine motor skills in the hands, fingers and arms. The acts of putting on, buttoning and zipping trousers \all require the use of those smaller muscles. This activity is ideal for students in preschool or kindergarten during play time.
Working with play dough is a lot of fun for kid, who are attracted to the bright colors and its squishy texture. To develop fine motor skills in the fingers, hands and arms, have the children pull apart pieces of play dough, roll them into balls or make a long snake. With the help of an adult, they can use toothpicks to draw designs on a piece of play dough, which works the same muscle groups. They can also do imprints on a slab of play dough with their feet, which will develop the small muscles in the ankle, feet and toes. This activity is ideal for preschool-aged children.