12 Engaging Fine Motor Activities for Toddlers to Boost Development

ByHeather Greutman Hours

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Fine motor skills are essential for toddlers as they help develop coordination, strength, and dexterity in their hands and fingers. Engaging in fine motor activities promotes physical development and enhances cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, creativity, and concentration.

Young child focused on stacking colorful building blocks, developing fine motor skills, with another child in the background engaging in play.

Let's explore 12 exciting fine motor activities that are enjoyable and beneficial for toddlers, helping them build essential skills while having fun.

12 Fine Motor Activities for Toddlers

Daisy Letter Board by Little Ladoo

This daisy letter board is a fun way to help kids recognize letters. Threading daisies into the premade letter templates requires only a basic setup from the parent, and kids will love the result.

Dinosaur Pop It Fine Motor Activity by A Little Pinch of Perfect

Kids love those pop-it toys, which were developed as repoppable bubble wrap. This fine motor activity involves placing marbles into the recesses after the whole thing has been popped.

Pom Pom Color Sorting by Mommy Evolution

Sometimes, the most basic activities can be some of the best. You only need an empty egg carton, a bag of multicolored pom poms, and tweezers or small tongs for this fine motor activity. Manipulating the tweezers to pick up and sort the pom poms helps develop fine motor skills, and sorting them helps with color recognition.

Fine Motor Skills Kitchen Activity by Kids Activities Blog

This setup is so simple it’s hard to believe. Give toddlers an upside-down colander and a pack of multicolored straws. (If the straws don’t fit the colander holes, pipe cleaners also work.) Most littles will start sticking the straws in the colander holes without prompting.

Colorful Water Drop Painting by Little Bins for Little Hands

This fine motor activity emphasizes “fine” motor skills. Kids will paint pre-dripped water drips without disturbing them. If they do it right, the resulting polka dot is really something.

Animal Tape Rescue by Messy Little Monster

Here’s a perfect activity for parents without a lot of extra time and a toddler who needs things to do. Tape some play animals to the floor, and have the toddler “rescue” them from the tape. Be sure to check the blog for tips to make this work as well as it can.

Popsicle Stick Fine Motor Color Match Game by Life with Darcy & Brian

This fun game helps kids develop fine motor skills and learn color matching. All it takes are popsicle sticks, clothespins, and a set of colored markers.

Snail Sensory Bag by The Best Ideas for Kids

This sensory bag activity is loads of squishy, mess-free fun. Kids line up pom poms on a snail shell, all inside a bag filled with hair gel.

All Natural Leaf Threading by Kids Craft Room

Here’s a fascinating approach to fine motor activity. Kids use sticks, “needles,” and jute twine to thread collected leaves together.

Sensory Beach Bin With Toys by Conservamom

This fine motor activity for toddlers is quick, easy, and rewarding. Make a sensory beach bin that helps kids develop fine motor skills by writing in the sand with a finger or moving sand using the various beach toys.

Dinosaurs Preschool Cutting Practice by 3 Boys and a Dog

Printable activities are a great way to give the kids something to do without too much setup. These fun dino-cutting practice sheets help them work on precise cuts with scissors, all with fun dinos capering about the sheets.

Building with Sticks and Playdough by Fireflies & Mud Pies

Building with sticks and playdough is a perfect STEM activity for kids that requires almost zero effort to set up. It helps kids develop fine motor skills and some facets of engineering.

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Heather Greutman, COTA

Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with experience in school-based OT services for preschool through high school. She uses her background to share child development tips, tools, and strategies for parents, educators, and therapists. She is the author of many ebooks including The Basics of Fine Motor Skills, and Basics of Pre-Writing Skills, and co-author of Sensory Processing Explained: A Handbook for Parents and Educators.

CONTENT DISCLAIMER: Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
All information on the Website is for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult with a medical professional if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child. The information on the Websites does not replace the relationship between therapist and client in a one-on-one treatment session with an individualized treatment plan based on their professional evaluation. The information provided on the Website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.

Do not rely on the information on the Website as an alternative to advice from your medical professional or healthcare provider. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment as a result of any information provided on the Website. All medical information on the Website is for informational purposes only.

All activities outlined on the Website are designed for completion with adult supervision. Please use your own judgment with your child and do not provide objects that could pose a choking hazard to young children. Never leave a child unattended during these activities. Please be aware of and follow all age recommendations on all products used in these activities. Growing Hands-On Kids is not liable for any injury when replicating any of the activities found on this blog.

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