Fine motor skills:

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Whilst mark making or writing, we encourage the children to hold the pencil close to the tip using a tripod grip, (two fingers and thumb). Some children develop this skill earlier than others and some have more strength in their fingers than others which affects the marks they make.  We support children who find this skill quite tricky with 'funky fingers' activities.  These activities help the children develop strength in their hands and fingers, enabling them to hold the pencil tightly enough to form letters or make marks.  Some of the activities children participate in include:

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* Playdough play - squeezing, poking, patting and rolling the dough with hands and fingers

* Threading

* Finger painting

* Building towers

* Using tweezers and scissors

* Picking up small objects with the forefinger and thumb

* Ripping, tearing and scrunching paper