Fine Motor Activity Advent Calendar for Kids
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It's the most wonderful time of the year! I was lying in bed thinking through some fun ways to count down to the Christmas season. Suddenly it hit me to create a fine motor activity advent calendar for kids.
I'm trying to pick simple activities that are easy for you to set up each morning (or the night before) to have some FUN ways to count down to the holidays. And it's a great way to focus on some fine motor activities to help support your child or student's skills.
Don't forget to scroll to the end to get the printable calendar with clickable links to each activity.
24 Christmas-Themed Fine Motor Activities for Kids
For each activity idea, there will be clickable links to the blog post with specific directions or supplies needed. The printable below will also include clickable links so you can connect to each post when you need it.
And, let's be honest, it's very ambitious to try and do every single one of these activities for 24 days straight. Please don't feel like you need to do every single activity every day. It's probably humanly impossible, haha. But this does give you a good starting point for each week and you can come back and try new ones each year.
Here we go!
Day 1 || Paper Chain Christmas Countdown
This is your classic construction paper countdown. You can use this to begin your day before you add in another activity (if you want). Kids will get some great cutting practice with this. Plus tearing the paper chain each day will be a great way to help strengthen little hands.
CLICK HERE for the directions to make a Paper Chain Christmas Countdown from The North Pole Times.
Day 2 || Make a Christmas/Holiday Card
Pick a family member or favorite person to make this holiday/Christmas card for. Using the hole punch adds in some great fine motor practice and proprioceptive feedback through the hands.
CLICK HERE for the directions to make a Fine Motor Christmas Card from The OT Toolbox
Day 3 || Make Christmas Play Dough
This is a super simple 2 ingredient play dough recipe that you can use (just hair conditioner and corn starch!). I also have a winter-themed version if you'd prefer to use that. You can add in some Christmas play dough mats if you wish.
Christmas Themed 2-Ingredient Play Dough Recipe
Winter Themed 2-Ingredient Play Dough Recipe
Day 4 || Christmas Q-Tip Painting
Get some great pincer grasp practice with these Christmas Q-tip paintings. Get the free printable for this activity over at TotSchooling.net.
Day 5 || Decorate a Printable Christmas Tree
Grab these free printable Christmas tree templates and decorate the trees with stickers, pom-poms, torn paper, etc. Click over to The Happy Handwriter to get the printable.
Day 6 || Make an M&M Christmas Wreath
You can substitute pom-poms for this if you don't want to use candy. Great idea for pincer grasp using fingers. Or you can add tongs to the activity to pick up the candy with tongs. Get the directions and printable from Toddler Approved.
Day 7 || Ribbon Tying Christmas Tree
Absolutely LOVE this to help kids practice tying knots! And you could make it into a fun ornament or simple DIY Christmas gift.
CLICK HERE for directions from Therapy Fun Zone.
Day 8 || Potato Stamp Gift Wrap Paper
Use potatoes and Christmas cookie cutters to make these DIY stamps and decorate gift paper. Or you can just use some regular Christmas stamps and ink if you prefer.
Get the directions for potato stamps here from Your Kids OT.
Day 9 || Craft Stick Christmas Trees
You can use some green craft sticks and wrap them with yarn to make these cute wrapped Christmas trees.
Get the directions for making a Craft Stick Christmas Tree over at Easy, Peasy, and Fun.
Day 10 || Christmas Cutting Tray
Set up this fun, Christmas-themed cutting tray to help your kids practice their scissor skills.
See the idea for a Christmas cutting tray over at Mama, Papa, Bubba. Here's an alternative Christmas cutting box from Teaching Mama.
Day 11 || Building Block Christmas Tree
Use all those random building blocks you probably have lying around and create these fun building block Christmas trees.
CLICK HERE to get the directions for Building Block Christmas Trees from Powerful Mothering.
Day 12 || Colorful Star Suncatcher
This is such an easy one using torn construction paper and contact paper. Be sure to let your child tear the paper for fine motor practice and bilateral coordination benefits!
CLICK HERE for the directions to make a colorful star suncatcher from Teachings 2 & 3 Year Olds
Day 13 || Snipped Up Christmas Trees
This is a great activity combining bilateral coordination, hand strength, and cutting practice!
Get the directions to make Snipped Up Christmas Trees from The Inspired Treehouse.
Day 14 || Fingerprint Christmas Painting
You can adapt this to a small piece of cardstock or on a blank card instead of using a canvas. It would make a very cute gift, plus working on finger isolation.
CLICK HERE for the Fingerprint Christmas Painting tutorial from Days with Grey.
Day 15 || Christmas Bow Pre-Writing Line Activity
This is a great activity to use some of those extra Christmas bows you have while practicing some basic pre-writing lines and shapes. If you have an older child you can adapt this to practice letter or number formations.
CLICK HERE for the directions to the Christmas Bow Pre-Writing Line Activity
Day 16 || Christmas Dot Sticker Trees
I love that this activity is on a vertical surface, which helps with shoulder stability and strength. Plus peeling stickers is an amazing way to work pincer grasp.
CLICK HERE for the directions to make a Christmas Dot Sticker Tree from Busy Toddler.
Day 17 || Christmas Sweater Sticker Activity
This is so fun! Have your children make their own “Ugly Christmas Sweater” with this template and random stickers from around your house.
Day 18 || Push Pin Christmas Tree Decorating
You only need 3 items to make this activity and you could use leftover boxes from holiday gift shipments! Push pins are a great way to practice pincer grasp for fine motor skills and handwriting.
CLICK HERE to get the directions for Push Pin Christmas Tree Decorating from Hands-On As We Grow.
Day 19 || Yarn Wrapped Ornaments
Another great way to include bilateral coordination and visual-motor skills.
Get the directions for Yarn Wrapped Ornaments from The Inspired Treehouse.
Day 20 || Candy Cane Counting Activity
This is a super simple activity for bilateral coordination, visual-motor skills, pincer grasp, and more.
CLICK HERE for the directions for the Candy Cane Counting Activity from Fun Learning for Kids
Day 21 || Christmas Tree Hole Punch Activity
Hole punches are a great way to work on hand and grip strength.
CLICK HERE for the directions to the Christmas Tree Hole Punch Activity from The OT Toolbox.
Day 22 || Build a Snowman Activity
Grab all your random craft supplies and set up this super fun “Build a Snowman” station. Perfect to do while you watch a favorite movie.
CLICK HERE for the directions to Build A Snowman Activity from Fun with Mama
Day 23 || Twig Star Ornaments
Get outside and gather some sticks for this super simple activity. You can also substitute yarn if you need to.
CLICK HERE for the directions to Twig Star Ornaments from Happy Hooligans.
Day 24 || Christmas Tree Pre-Writing Activity Packet
Tis the night before Christmas, so let's keep this simple! Just print some of these Christmas-themed pre-writing activity pages and use some crayons, markers, or small pencils to complete them.
CLICK HERE to get your Christmas Tree Pre-Writing Activity Packet
Get the Free Fine Motor Activity Advent Calendar Download
Put your email address in the form below to get a free printable download of the fine motor advent calendar. It includes clickable links to all the activity ideas I listed above.
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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.