The acquisition of fine motor skills plays a huge part in a child's development. It helps build the foundation for a variety of skills, including dressing, buttoning, lacing shoes and writing. Childcarers can offer very young children plenty of opportunities to develop their fine motor skills by providing resources that they can fiddle with, such as a toy telephone, a shape sorter and a Jack-in-the-box. Children who are able to manipulate equipment with ease will feel more confident and competent in their own abilities.
The equipment below was tested with children aged one to two years.
All prices exclusive of VAT and post/packaging
PUSH BUTTON TELEPHONE 
NES ARNOLD
PRICE: £9.95
AGE: 2+
CONTACT: 0845 1204525, www.nesarnold.co.uk
A modern, plastic telephone with 12 push-buttons and a bell.
Tested by the Daisychain Nursery, Fife
'The telephone has separate number buttons which can be easily pushed by small fingers and a button to press that makes a ringing sound. The oneto two-year-olds enjoyed the noise it made and the bright colours. They also enjoyed carrying it around the room freely, which was easy to do because of its light weight. We placed the telephone in our home corner and left it for the children to explore. Many were observed chatting away to themselves. Staff felt that the buttons needed to be a bit more interesting and appealing. For example, it would be good if they made a noise. It's made of very tough plastic - this is very important because we need equipment that will last.'
Star Rating: *****
JACK IN THE BOX 
TOYS R US
AGE: 3+
PRICE: £14.99
CONTACT: 0800 138 7777, www.toysrus.co.uk
A classic, wind-up toy with the tune of 'Pop Goes the Weasel'.
Tested by Renee Phillips-Gall, registered childminder, Swansea
'The children's reaction when Jack, the teddy, first popped up was one of delight. It never failed to surprise them and they never tired of it. When they realised there was a cause-and-effect they were very keen to have a go themselves. A 15- month-old and 18-month-old quickly learned to grab and turn the handle around, which was great for their fine manipulative skills, but they needed help to push jack back in the box. During the testing period, children aged 12 months to five years used it and it remains safe and intact. It's great value for money.
'The only slight concern I have is about the mechanism. After the jack pops and is pushed back into place, it doesn't hold until it has been wound on a bit more. The children got a little frustrated with this.'
Star Rating: ****
WOODEN NURSERY PACK
TTS GROUP
AGE: 18m +
PRICE: £41.95
CONTACT: 0800 318 686, www.tts-group.co.uk
This pack contains a four-shape sorter, first building blocks, rolling sorter, hammer bench and rainbow stacking rings.
Tested by Castle Montessori Nursery, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire
'The children found this group of toys fascinating. The four-shape sorter and first basic blocks are exceptional value for money, as they proved a challenge for the oneto two-year-olds and the older children. The first blocks were used by the younger group to build towers and talk about colours, while the older children used them to learn about three-dimensional shapes and mathematical concepts. Many children initially struggled with the rainbow stacker because the base is also a rocker, and it took some time for them to understand that they needed to steady the stacker with one hand while putting the rings on with the other. We thought this might discourage some children, but soon realised that some spent longer with this toy as it was more challenging for them. There were no concerns with any of these products and we would definitely consider buying it.'
Star Rating: *****
WOODEN STACKING BOWLS 
MYRIAD NATURAL TOYS
AGE: 12m+
PRICE: £15.95
CONTACT: 01725 517085, www.myriadonline.co.uk
This set of five natural bowls is made from solid alder wood with hand-sanded edges.
Tested by the Gower School, Islington, London
'These bowls are beautifully made, wooden and aesthetically-pleasing.
They are good for the development of children's fine motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination, as well as early maths concepts of grading and counting. The children placed them upside down to build towers and used them in the home corner as cups, bowls, pots and pans. They used their pincer grip to pick them up and place them down. The bowls have a good sensorial feel to them and children enjoyed handling them. I think they are more suitable from 18 months, because the smallest piece was thought to be a choking hazard. The product is durable and well worth the money.'
Star Rating: *****
SEA ANIMALS PUZZLE AND TINY CREATURES PUZZLE 
REFLECTIONS ON LEARNING
AGE: 1+
PRICE: £10.99 each
CONTACT: 01732 773399, www.reflectionsonlearning.co.uk
Two five-piece wooden puzzles, size 210mm x 210mm.
Tested by Sally Clarkson, childminder, Hampshire
'These chunky wooden jigsaw puzzles are painted with bright colours that immediately attracted the children. Each child could pick up and play with the pieces, the younger children mouthing on them while the two-year-olds placed them into the shapes. Those who hadn't used jigsaws much were surprised at how easily they fitted in, as they have a slight magnetic quality guiding them home. As a practitioner, I found that they could be used for other types of play as well, as they are so thick that they could stand up in their own right. Also, the packaging they come in is very sturdy, which enables them to be stored easily without losing pieces. Compared to other jigsaws on the market, I think that these are of a higher quality. But I think they are better suited from two years, as some of the paint has been removed by the mouthing children already.'
Star Rating: ****
MY FIRST PEG BOARD SET 
TTS GROUP
AGE: 18m+
PRICE: £26.95
CONTACT: 0800 318 686, www.tts-group.co.uk.
Four large pegboards (28 x 27 x 12 cm) made of soft, flexible foam with 40 jumbo pegs.
Tested by Cufos Playgroup, Muswell Hill, London
'This product was tested with a group of children aged 18 months to two years. The children were instantly drawn to the bright colours and the shapes of the pegboard: a train, house, a fish and an apple. A 22-month-old called out, 'Train, train: toot, toot', as he excitedly moved it across the room in an upright position. He used the pegs to build a tower, carefully placing one peg on top of the other. A little girl aged 21 months had difficulty pushing the peg down into the foam completely, as did the other children of this age, despite the board being soft and flexible. This resulted in them losing interest relatively quickly. They were happier building towers together, as the pegs slotted together easily. We found that those aged 18 and 19 months used the product to touch and put in their mouths only. The product is completely safe and the pegs are a good size for small hands. It's relatively good value for money, because older children would also enjoy using it. We would consider buying it because children enjoy exploring holes at this age.'
Star Rating: ***
BEST BUY
For Julie Scott of Blyth Central Children's Centre, Northumberland 
'Our best buy has been a set of Jumbo Triangular Super Smooth Pencils from Nexus, £9.99 for a box of 12, which includes a pencil sharpener. The lightest of touches allows even the youngest of children to create marks on paper. The pencils are triangular to encourage the pincer grip, but our under-two's loved them and all managed to leave marks regardless of which grip they had on the pencils. The pencils are not recommended for children under three; however, we felt confident of children's safety with close adult supervision. The colours are bright and, depending on the pressure, leave a fine or a thick mark. We found these made an interesting change from chalk and crayons, which the babies tend to bite.'
Contact: www.nexus-euro.co.uk, tel 0800 137245
