Information Session 5: Fine and Gross Motor Skills

Motor Skills Overview

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• There is a vast range of what is considered typical for motor skill acquisition
• Skill development can be influenced by exposure, interest level, individual development 
• Common to see bursts of development 
• Children enter preschool with a base of motor skills, these skills are fine tuned and built upon during the preschool years 
• It is OK for a preschool student (3’s and 4’s) to descend stairs non-alternately, they will first ascend alternately (takes less strength and control than descent) 
• •Encourage active gross motor play, but also activities that require the child to slow down, balance and steady their body (Simon Says, Follow The Leader, etc.)
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  If w-sitting is primary sitting posture work to incorporate other positions (see w-sitting blog as well as core activities blog to help with this)
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  •Certain skills, such as scissor use and coordination,  are not a part of natural development and  will only develop through direct teaching and exposure.

Fine Motor Skills

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• Small Muscles 
• Hand Strength 
• Grasp Development 
• Sensory Integration 
• Motor Planning 
• Visual Motor Integration 
• Bilateral Coordination 
• Daily Living Skills – dressing, tooth brushing, feeding 
• Oral Motor 

Gross Motor Skills

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• Big Muscles 
• Heavy Work 
• Core Strength 
• Motor Planning 

BECC Supplemental Curricula

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• Handwriting Without Tears
• Mat Man
• Grasp Development
• Brain Gym
• Series of 26 movements designed to optimize learning

Fine Motor Activities

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• Writing Implements – crayons, markers, colored pencils, paintbrushes, etc 
• Cutting 
• Crafts using pincer grasps 
• Tactile experiences – putty, play dough, sand and water play 
• Tweezers 
• Peeling Stickers 
• Lacing 
• Puzzles and building manipulatives 
• Mazes/Magnet Mazes 

Gross Motor Activities

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• Obstacle courses 
• Balancing – beams, therapy balls, rocking horses, stepping stones 
• Climbing Structures 
• Trampolines 
• Scooter Boards 
• Get outside when you can! 

Accommodations

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• Writing Tasks 
• Small, broken crayons 
• Slanted surfaces/easels 
• Hold a pom pom with pinky and ring finger 
• Verbal and Visual Cues 
• Alligator fingers 
• Helper hand 
• Visual task analysis to facilitate motor planning 

Therapists Blog - becctherapists.wordpress.com

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• Great resource for activities and ideas 
• Our Speech and Language Pathologists, occupational therapist, physical therapist and BCBA contribute to this blog 

The following are the gross motor posts that may be useful:

·         Benefits of Physical Activity (1/13)

·         Core Strengthening Activities (3/13)

·         Motor Planning (4/11)

·         Indoor Gross Motor Activities (11/13)

·         Fun Inexpensive Outdoor Games (5/13)

·         Why Should I Stop My Child From W-Sitting? (10/13)

·         Coming Soon in March blog post on bilateral integration and sequence

The following are the fine motor posts that may be helpful:

·         Developing a Dominant Hand (11/13)

·         Fun February OT Activity Ideas (2/13)

·         How to Work on Prewriting Skills Without Picking up a Pencil! (3/13)

·         Scissor Skill Development (5/13)

·         Summer OT Activity Ideas (6/13)

• Fun Hand Strengthening Activities (11/13)