As a teacher, there are many activities I’d do to promote fine motor skills. The activities I did in the classroom were easy, used multiple cognitive skills and were budget friendly. Now as a stay-at-home Mama with a three-year-old, I’m pulling back out some of these simple, fine motor activities for her and sharing with you!
Stringing beads onto pipe cleaners is one of these activities. This classic activity not only hones fine motor skills but also sparks creativity and cognitive development in young minds. After a quick trip to the Dollar Tree, I picked up the supplies for $3! Whether you’re a teacher looking for classroom activities or a stay-at-home parent like me, engaging fine motor activities can be simple, budget-friendly, and incredibly effective.
Materials
- Beads
- Pipe Cleaners
Fine Motor Bead Stringing Activity
Encourage your child to place the beads onto the pipe cleaner at one end. Talk about focusing on what they are doing and give lots of encouragement. My daughter loves this activity, and she thinks she’s making bracelets! It helps to bring out the creative side in her!
Fine Motor Extension Activity
Once my daughter had “made bracelets” several times, I decided to extend the activity and change it up a bit. I gave her a small number of beads (appox.10-15) and put numbers at the top of the pipe cleaner. I cut up and used old post-it notes to write the numbers and stick to the pipe cleaner. She had to recognize the number and use one-to-one correspondence to place the correct number of beads onto the pipe cleaner. This was another big hit in our house and gave her something fun to do while practicing these skills: fine motor, number recognition, and one-to-one correspondence.
I hope you and your little one have a blast with these affordable and engaging fine motor activities. With a bit of creativity and a handful of beads, they’ll be well on their way to crushing both their math skills and fine motor coordination!
Disclaimer: Remember, safety comes first. Always supervise your child during these activities, especially if they’re handling small objects like beads. You know your child best, so gauge their readiness and adjust the activities accordingly. Joyful Grace Parenting is providing resources and not responsible for misuse or injuries.
