improving motor skills

[shopgirl771]

my sons motor skills are below average and im currently particularly worried that he wont be able to write his name when he moves up to school in September.
I do lots of fine motor activities with him at home and writing exercises when i can get his attention but im just wondering if any others that have had similar experiences have any tips on things i could try to improve or encourage this.

 

[aimee-lou]

I've always found that it's best to keep things light and fun. How about making cards for people, or drawing stick men or arrows for a treasure hunt in the garden. Earl's pen skills are good but he enjoys quite academic activities so I have bought him a lot of exercise books off amazon for things like maths and handwriting. He loves to do them and get the gold stars at the end. I'm also teaching him how to tell the time through one of these books which requires written answers. They're £2-£3 a go normally.

 

[jd83]

One of the tips my SIL (she's an early elementary teacher) gives for improving fine motor skills is to have them practice writing and coloring with small, broken crayons. Not the jumbo crayons, but regular sized broken crayons. She says they often use that technique with struggling students to help improve their hand muscle tone and fine motor skills.

 

[Nat0619]

Personally I didn't know they were expected to already know how to write by the time they started school?! Aren't those kind of things taught AT school? Certainly were when I was little. Maybe showing my age and expectations of LOs are higher these days (which I don't think is a good thing).

 

[jd83]

Personally I didn't know they were expected to already know how to write by the time they started school?! Aren't those kind of things taught AT school? Certainly were when I was little. Maybe showing my age and expectations of LOs are higher these days (which I don't think is a good thing).

Expectations are much higher in the US than when I was a child for sure. Honestly, when I was a kid preschool was pretty much optional. Not anymore, if you want your child to be fully prepared for school. With the "No Child Left Behind" policy now in place, there is a lot of expectation for how much they need to learn each year because teachers have to ensure the students pass state testing, and a lot that needs to be already learned before they even start to be able to get all the info needed learned throughout the year. Yes, they teach those things at school still, but they don't have the time to spend on it the way they used to, so if children aren't already at least familiar with recognizing written alphabet, spelling their name, etc they will struggle to keep up. I'm not familiar with what's expected where you guys are from, but I know where I live they need to be able to count and recognize letters 1-20, say alphabet and recognize letters, know full name, have started on writing skills, etc.

 

[hattiehippo]

The teachers will work with kids who are struggling with things like motor skills but it's makes everyone's lives easier if your child has already got some basic skills like this when they start school. I don't think it's a bad thing for kids to start school having already started to learn these things.

I would say he's still very young so his motor skills will obviously be less than older ones starting school this year. As well as doing fine motor skill activities, it's good to do large movement work like chalking large letters or painting with water on walls or the floor - these all help with shoulder stability and getting better control over large arm movements then works it way down to the finer hand control.

Having said all this my nearly 4.5 yr old's fine motor skill are good but his pencil control is not great because it's only recently that he's been willing to draw and write more. He loves doing wipe clean puzzles and mazes and these kind of things are helping.

 

[shopgirl771]

Personally I didn't know they were expected to already know how to write by the time they started school?! Aren't those kind of things taught AT school? Certainly were when I was little. Maybe showing my age and expectations of LOs are higher these days (which I don't think is a good thing).

there not. i was told at his first preschool (before we moved areas) that they dont need to know phonics (and presumably writing) before they start school.
I think what jd83 says is somewhat right but id say in more of a preparatory way than expectation. its about preparing them for school and giving them a head start. teachers have so much on their plates now.
however this is a post about my sons learning delays and not the EYFS.

 

[aimee-lou]

The states are a lot more formal about these kind of things.

My experience is that while they're not expected to know these things, it helps the teachers a lot if your LO can already hold a pen correctly and knows letters, numbers etc. For me it's not been about formally teaching him reading and writing but rather following his own naturally academic leanings as he asks to do his lesson books and loves to copy writing on his magna-doodle.

His old pre-school that he attended for 2 years prior to moving at the beginning of this academic year prepared the children quite thoroughly, teaching them writing, numbers, personal skills like buttons and zips and even having formal assemblies and things to get the kids used to sitting through speeches! lol As a result I and his teachers both thought that Earl was actually ready for full time school at 3y10m (last september) when in fact he doesn't start until 4y10m! His new pre-school isn't anywhere near as thorough but thankfully he has the skills now and we've practised at home.

It's just my opinion that anything you can do to help your children settle in and make the transition to full time schooling a smooth one is obviously a good thing to do.

 

[freckleonear]

According to Montessori, there are several different physical skills involved in eventually learning to write. It is important to do lots of activities using these basic skills, rather than pushing a child to do writing or drawing before they are ready.

Firstly, whole hand activities are needed to strengthen the muscles. Use a baster or sponge to transfer water from one bowl to another. Use tongs to transfer pompoms into an ice cube tray. Use a hole punch or craft punch with paper.

Secondly, wrist turning activities are needed to develop strength and flexibility. Pour from one small jug to another, or through a funnel. Start off with dried beans and move onto rice and then water. Use a fish slice to flip jam jar lids. Match lids to different sized jam jars. Use a balloon whisk to turn soapy water into bubbles. Use a small hammer to hammer golf tees or nails into a block of florist foam or polystyrene packaging.

Finally, three finger grip activities help to develop a good tripod grasp. Make sensory trays and use measuring spoons to transfer the materials. Use a pipette or eye dropper to mix water and food colouring. Use tweezers to balance small pompoms onto the suckers on the back of a bath mat. Peg clothes pegs onto the sides of a box or use them to hang up paper or dolls clothes.

 

[Foogirl]

At 4, Abby couldn't write her name and struggled with a pencil or a pen. If we were in England she would have been starting school. At 5 she can do it no problem. We do a lot of stuff on the ipad with her. Fine motor is ok, gross motor isn't great. It just takes a bit of time and practice. Many children start later but soon catch up. I wouldn't be worried about it unless he is still struggling at the end of his first year.

 

[Palestrina]

Lots of activities like these:
https://theimaginationtree.com/2013/09/40-fine-motor-skills-activities-for-kids.html

 

[shopgirl771]

According to Montessori, there are several different physical skills involved in eventually learning to write. It is important to do lots of activities using these basic skills, rather than pushing a child to do writing or drawing before they are ready.

Firstly, whole hand activities are needed to strengthen the muscles. Use a baster or sponge to transfer water from one bowl to another. Use tongs to transfer pompoms into an ice cube tray. Use a hole punch or craft punch with paper.

Secondly, wrist turning activities are needed to develop strength and flexibility. Pour from one small jug to another, or through a funnel. Start off with dried beans and move onto rice and then water. Use a fish slice to flip jam jar lids. Match lids to different sized jam jars. Use a balloon whisk to turn soapy water into bubbles. Use a small hammer to hammer golf tees or nails into a block of florist foam or polystyrene packaging.

Finally, three finger grip activities help to develop a good tripod grasp. Make sensory trays and use measuring spoons to transfer the materials. Use a pipette or eye dropper to mix water and food colouring. Use tweezers to balance small pompoms onto the suckers on the back of a bath mat. Peg clothes pegs onto the sides of a box or use them to hang up paper or dolls clothes.

thanks for those. some of those we do already or versions of but there are some new ones there for us to spice things up

 

[shopgirl771]

Lots of activities like these:
https://theimaginationtree.com/2013/09/40-fine-motor-skills-activities-for-kids.html

i love imagination tree. these are exactly the type of things im after. ty