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Fine Motor Skills Activities for Babies

March 24, 2014 by Anna Ranson

Here is a collection of simple and engaging fine motor skills activities for babies and toddlers that help to encourage muscle strength, co-ordination and concentration, all through playful fun! There are so many other benefits to these activities too and they are simple and meaningful for small minds, using materials from around the home and are so quick to prepare.

Fine motor skills activities for babies

Babies and toddlers learn through their senses and interact with materials around them as soon as they can grasp, pinch and grab at them. Younger babies don’t need too much stimulation in a world that’s already over-full of images, colours and moving objects and flashing screens. You can set up a simple and engaging play area  for 0-6 months old like our Montessori and Reggio inspired play space here, and more open ended play for 6-18 months + in the developed space we made here.

reggio+inspired+play+spacebaby+play+area+collage

As well as these open-ended play discovery spaces, there are some lovely engaging activities you can play alongside baby for short periods of time, following their lead and interest.

I would always suggest starting with a treasure basket and move on to the other ideas from there. Click on the purple linked words to take you to the full articles and read how we made and played with the items.

Explore textures in a treasure basket

Baby treasure baskets

Drop objects into an adapted milk jug

Baby drop toy

Pull fabric pieces from a tissue box

Baby play fabric pulling box

Play with giant felt pieces

Baby play with a felt board

Open, fill and empty egg cartons

Baby play- fill and empty egg boxes

Stick and separate hair rollers

Baby-playing-with-hair-rollers-666x1000

Put rolls into muffin tins

Baby play with muffin tins

Drop, pull and roll these DIY  motor skills toys

4+homemade+baby+and+toddler+toys+large

Explore how stickers attach to felt

Baby's first sticker collage

Stack with nesting bowls

Baby play with stacking nesting bowls

Drop and shoot pom poms

Pom pom drop fine motor skills activity for toddlers

Stack and knock over piles of cups

coloured shadows

Paint with water over coloured chalk

painting+with+water

Stick and remove foam on the window or the bath-tub

Spring foam window pictures

Squish and mark-make with DIY finger-paintshomemade-edible-finger-paint

Want to see more ideas and activities for baby play and creativity? Search our archives here!

Baby play activities archives

Looking for fine motor activities for older toddlers, preschoolers and school aged kids? Here are over 40 in this very popular collection:

40-fine-motor-skills-activities-for-children1-613x1000

 

If you enjoyed this post please share it! Pin it for future reference using the Pin It button at the top of the post. Thanks

 

 

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  • Colour Theme Baby Treasure Basket
  • Matchstick Colour Sorting Fine Motor Toy

Filed Under: Age, Baby, Child Development, Discovery, Fine Motor Development, Learn, Motor Skills, Play, Play Collections, Toddler Tagged With: Baby Play, Fine Motor Skills, Toddler

« Sight Word Pebbles for Literacy Play
Sorting Baskets Phonics Activity »

Comments

  1. FRANCESCA says

    March 24, 2014 at 2:44 pm

    Hello Anna.
    I am Francesca, from Italy
    I’ve discovered your wonderful and so so interesting blog just last Saturday while I was taking a little break from my two little boys (who were outdoors with daddy!! :-)).
    I was searching for some good ideas to entertain the kids (3 and 1) since it has been a rainy weekend and I found you!
    God Bless!
    We have prepared salt dough and the finger paints! Loved it!
    I’ve written a post today and I have mentioned you there.

    Thanks for sharing all these wonderful ideas that will help develop their skills.

    Francesca

  2. Katie / The Surly Housewife says

    March 25, 2014 at 4:24 am

    These are all great ideas! I’m glad my nephews are just 3 months old so I can try them out 🙂 Pinned!

Trackbacks

  1. tampa kids art programs | DIY Homemade Lilac Slippers + MORE | TampaKidsArt Art Classes: Children/Kids/Teen Art Classes and Programs says:
    March 24, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    […] Fine Motor Skills Activities for Babies […]

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About The Imagination Tree Hello and welcome! I'm Anna, Mama of 4, early years teacher and play enthusiast from the UK! Click here to read more about me.

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