Fine Motor Activity for Toddlers: Colorful Pom Pom Fun! 

When I taught preschool, I was always looking for simple activities that would build fine motor skills for my kids. One of my favorite activities was using tweezers to pick up objects and transfer them from one place to another, fostering dexterity and coordination. I’d use any small objects around the classroom to set up an activity to build fine motor skills for the kids in my classroom.  

Fast forward a few years and now I am staying at home with my children. My oldest just turned three and loves coloring and playing with playdough. However, recognizing the importance of additional fine motor practice, I decided to create a cost-efficient solution.  From my years working in education, you learn to find less expensive ways to do an activity and I knew the Dollar Tree would have what I needed. (not sponsored)

Keep reading to find out how I spent $5 on this simple fine motor activity!  

Materials:

• Plastic Cups (We chose purple because they are my daughter’s favorite color, they come 10 to a pack)
• Kid’s Large Tweezer 
• Pom poms  
• Tray  

Fine Motor Step-By-Step Directions:

Place Pom Poms into the tray. Move them around a little bit so they aren’t sticking to each other as much.

Place a cup beside the tray. I used all the Pom Poms that came in the pack but you can always use a few. You know your child best and what they can handle  

Give your child the tweezers and have them pick up the Pom Pom and place it in the cup. Demonstrate first and continue to help your child with the pincher grasp. Their hands might get tired so give breaks and they might use both hands for a little bit. Just encourage the use of one hand and eventually with lots of practice they will master the task and grow their fine motor skills.  

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

• Sort the Pom Poms by Color: Use all the colors of Pom Poms and have your child sort them as you go. You will need to use more cups. We had 6 different colors and set up 6 cups. If your child is having difficulty sorting, start small. Two colors is best and then work up from there.
• Count the Pom Poms: When you’re done count to find out which color is more, less or the same as the other colors. 

This activity holds a special place in my heart for its simplicity and effectiveness. Not only is it budget-friendly, but it also offers versatile learning opportunities. My daughter thoroughly enjoys it and often requests to repeat the activity. I hope your child finds as much delight and benefits from it as mine does!