Funky Fingers

Funky Fingers is a fun way for your child to gain more strength in their fingers and hands through activities designed to improve fine motor skills. Before a child can learn to ‘mark make’ they have to have enough strength in their hands and fingers to hold a pencil and to move it in the direction that they want it to go. Some children learn this quickly by experimenting with different media themselves, other children need extra support in gaining this particular skill. Funky fingers helps a child to gain more strength in their hands and fingers without even realising it; they just think they are playing a fun game. At Pre-School we regularly do these activities with the children, but we have listed them here as well so that you can continue them at home. We hope that you find this helpful!

Funky Fingers Activities

* Rescue dinosaurs from a swamp (a bowl of jelly) using tweezers. How many can you rescue in 1 minute?

* Hammer golf tee’s into a pumpkin. * How many straws can you put in a colander in 30 seconds/1 minute.

* Put spaghetti in a ball of play dough then thread pasta on to spaghetti.

* Make spinners - who’s spinner will win?

* Cut pipe cleaners into small pieces. Put a magnet into a bowl containing the pipe cleaners. How many can you pull off with tweezers in 30 seconds/1 minute.

* Eye drop holders - fill with water and squeeze. Syringes work well to. This could also be a fun bath time activity.

* Cooked spaghetti in a tough spot. Encourage children to cut the spaghetti into lots of pieces.

* Collect old nuts and bolts encourage the child to screw and unscrew them. A turning action many children find difficult.

* Fabric conditioner in plastic wallets. Mark making with finger. * Pom pom sorting using coloured tubes and tweezers.

* Egg carton colour sorting with pom poms and tweezers.

* Cutting station. A bowl with scissors attached to bowl with string. Cut out pictures that are in the bowl.

* A foam brick, put golf tee’s in it, then balance marbles on the tee’s. Turn it into a game, who can balance the most?

* How many pegs can you put on a friend in 30 seconds/1 minute?