By Michelle B. Sakow, OTR/L

Paterson Public Schools

Dept. of Early Childhood Education

385-391 Totowa Avenue

Paterson, NJ 07502

SCISSOR ACTIVITIES:
(Resource available at:

When scissors are held correctly and when they fit the child’s hand well, cutting activities will exercise the same small muscles that are needed to manipulate a pencil in a mature tripod grasp.
The correct scissor position is with the thumb and middle finger in the handles of the scissors, the index finger on the outside of the handle to stabilize, and the fourth and fifth finger curled into the palm.
  • Cut Playdoh with scissors.
  • Cut junk mail.
  • Make fringe on the edge of construction paper.
  • Cut plastic straws and then string them into a necklace etc.

EYE-HAND COORDINATION ACTIVITIES:This involves accuracy in placement, direction, and spatial awareness.
  • Throw bean bags/koosh balls into a hula hoop placed flat on the floor. Gradually increase the distance.
  • Practice hitting bowling pins with a ball (Purchase a bowling set or make your own out of plastic soda bottles and a small ball).
  • Play “hit the balloon” with a medium-size balloon by keeping it from landing on the floor.
/ ACTIVITIES WITH FINE MOTOR MANIPULATIVES:
Preschoolers benefits from experiences that support the development of fine motor skills of the hand and fingers. Children should have adequate strength and dexterity in their hands and fingers before being asked to manipulate a pencil on paper.
  • Scrunch up 1 sheet of newspaper in 1 hand and then throw into a laundry basket etc. (builds strength).
  • Use a plant sprayer to spray plants (indoors), snow outdoors (mix food coloring with water so that snow can be painted, or melt “monsters” by drawing monster pictures with markers and the colors will run when sprayed with water).
  • Shake regular-size dice, while playing games, by cupping hands together by forming an “empty air space” between the palms.
  • Lacing and sewing activities such as stringing beads, cheerios or fruit loops, macaroni etc.
  • Use eye droppers to “pick up” colored water for color mixing or to make artistic designs on paper or coffee filters.
  • Turn over cards, coins, checkers, buttons, without bringing them to the edge of the table.
  • Make pictures using stickers or self-sticking reinforcements (like those used in 3-ring binders).
  • Rolling play dough into tiny balls (peas) using only the fingers.
  • Use pegs or toothpicks to make designs in play dough.
  • Pick up objects using large tweezers or tongs such as those found in the “Bedbugs” game. This can be adapted by picking up cheerios, small cubes, small marshmallows, pennies, etc. in counting games.