Nursery World - Activities for fine motor skills

It is important to ensure that the level of stimulation provided through each activity is matched to the developmental level of the child. Every child has individual needs and abilities and will develop at their own rate. Part of the adult's role is to make sure that the child is neither under-stimulated nor over-challenged. When providing activities for under-threes, parents and carers must remember that interacting, manipulating, experimenting, exploring, creating and communicating through the activity is more important than expecting the children to achieve an end goal - for example, managing to get all the hooks on the mug rack in 'On it goes!' (see below).

When providing activities for under-threes, parents and carers must remember that interacting, manipulating, experimenting, exploring, creating and communicating through the activity is more important than expecting the children to achieve an end goal - for example, managing to get all the hooks on the mug rack in 'On it goes!' (see below).

Peg the pegs

* Place approximately 30 wooden clothes pegs into a basket similar to the one in the photograph.

* Demonstrate to the children the way in which a clothes peg works - by pinching one end we open the other end.

* Allow the children some time to practise this movement before suggesting to them that they could peg the pegs around the edge of the basket.

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