Fine Motor Activities for Toddlers

Some easy fine motor activities with everyday household items! Great for anytime but we also like to do them after their bath as a mellow activity to wind them down before bed...

1. Cards in and out of a wallet. I found them at Dollar Tree and let them play with old cards. I'm planning on getting a few family photos made in wallet size and laminating them to use instead, as I think the twins would love that!

2. Pipe cleaner and a colander. Pretty self-explanatory. :-) They can just stick the pipe cleaner into the holes.

3. Transferring dried pasta from one bowl to another. As they get a little older you can show them how to do it with little cups, pouring pasta, beans, rice or water from one cup to another (which serves as a Practical Life Skill!)

4. Stacking CDs! Using a spindle of old blank CDs just take them off and let them have at it sliding them over the stem.

5. Transferring Pom Poms. Start off with Pom Poms in a bowl and have them put them into mason jars, cups, or anything else you'd like. As they get older they can do this with tongs and older yet with chop sticks! Great hand-eye coordination practice!

6. Using Connect Four let them put the chips in the slot!

7. Painting with water! Super easy with no mess! (Unless your toddler likes the flip the water bowl like River does! LOL). The water makes lines on the paper. I used large art paper from Dollar Tree. 

*Note: if your toddler loves to mouth things like mine do just be sure to keep a close eye on them while they play. I have to constantly remove pieces from the twins' mouths but they also have periods of time where they are really focused and into it!

Here are some more fine motor activity ideas for you! (It's a great resource I like to use to get ideas for all types of activities- lots for older kids too!)

http://handsonaswegrow.com/30-fine-motor-activities-toddlers