Developing Fine Motor Skills: grip strength is so important to develop.  We do a lot of writing, cutting, gluing: all that require those muscles.  Children tire quickly if these muscles are not strong.  Grasping pencils, crayons, manipulating scissors all need guided practiced especially when not using proper grip.  One-on-one help is the only way to go for teaching or correcting grip when using pencils, pens, crayons, scissors, glue bottles, etc.  

Play with Playdough (poke, squeeze, roll, knead, pound, press) Put clothespins around a paper plate

Practice sign language
Color (inside the lines)

Play with Lego’s, Lite Brite, or other games with small parts Put together puzzles
Practice fingerplays (Five Little Monkeys, Itsy Bitsy Spider) Paint, Finger-paint, Draw

Use chalk or sidewalk chalk
Cut, Cut, Cut
Play the piano
Use tweezers or tongs to pick up small objects
Use Lacing Cards (GW School Supply)
Practice tying shoes in stages (Even if they cannot successfully finish it) Make patterns with small objects like beans, pasta, money

Stack things like small blocks, money, checkers, cards Use a glue bottle (make ladybug dots or trace lines)
Write, Write, Write
Practice screwing and unscrewing nuts and bolts or jar lids String beads on a shoelace

Type on a keyboard
Shuffle and deal cards
Crumple paper then play “soccer” with the ball
Roll a pencil between your thumb and fingers
Put rubber bands on different size containers
“Clean” the table with a spray bottle of water and a sponge
Color using the flat side of an unwrapped crayon (put a textured object under the paper to do a “rub”) Transfer spoonfuls of small objects from one bowl to another
Use buttons, zippers, hooks
Manually sharpen a pencil
Put keys in locks to open doors
Put paper clips on paper, then take them off
Use Wikki Sticks (GW School Supply) to make shapes, letters, numbers

Letter Recognition and Letter Sounds Practice

Show a letter- ask for the sound

Say a sound- ask for the letter

Point to a letter- child says the sound

Say a sound- child points to the letter

Play “letter hunt” by pointing out letters in signs, books, license plates, shopping lists, magazines, etc.

Post a “letter of the day” on the fridge, mirror or back of the car seat

Play “secret password” by posting 3-4 letters on a doorframe. Name the secret letter and have your child touch and say the password as they enter the room.

Use old newspapers, pamphlets, flyers, junk mail, and magazines to circle specific letters. Use flashcards
Play concentration
Match upper and lowercase letters

Sound out “blend” selected CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words during a story. Pick words with short vowel sounds, and consonants that say their most common sound.

Go on a “sound hunt” looking for things that start with a certain letter

While shopping, ask your child to get items for you. “Can you get the cereal in the blue box that starts with a /k/ sound?”

Play one of the internet games linked on our class website

Tally every time you hear a word starting with a certain letter sound during dinner, or on a car ride.

Ask your child to sing the letter sound song(s) of the week

Letter/Number Writing Practice

Parent writes with a highlighter-Child traces with a pencil

Parent writes with a pencil or Sharpie- Child traces with a crayon, marker, highlighter

Use chalkboards, whiteboards, magnadoodles etc.

Write on the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk, or a paintbrush wet with water

Write with your finger on a cookie sheet spread with shaving cream

Put uncooked rice on a cookie sheet, and write with your finger

Put colored hair gel (Dollartree) in a doubled ziplock, and trace with your finger

Write in the sand

Write with a stick in the dirt

Print out a handwriting sheet from: http://www.first- school.ws/theme/handwriting.htm (choose Standard Block, not D’Neilian format)

Buy a handwriting book from Walmart, or Dollartree
Draw letters/numbers in the air
Use your finger to draw a letter/number on someone’s back Use a spray water bottle on the cement
Use watercolors
Let your child be the teacher, and show you how to write Trace over flashcards with your finger

Sight Word/Color Word Practice

Hint: When practicing sight words, it is usually best to use a small amount of words. Also, only introduce one new word at a time. The goal is immediate, effortless recognition of these words. If your child becomes frustrated...decrease the amount of words, if he/she is bored... add more words.

Make/use flashcards

Play concentration with flashcards

Use two sets of flashcards and try to match the pairs

Post 2-4 words on a doorframe. Tell your child the “secret password” into the room, and have them touch and say the correct word as they enter.

Post a “word of the day” on the fridge or bathroom mirror. Have them touch and say it every time they pass.

Practice writing the words

Trace each letter with a finger

Go on a “word hunt” and point to the sight words while reading a book

Have the child be the teacher and spell the word while the parent writes it

Make up silly sight word sentences (using flash cards) like we do at school: I can see a blue ????.

Ask your child to sing the color word songs
Ask your child to sing the sight word songs
Tally every time we see a sight word in a story
Put sandpaper under writing paper, and write the words with crayons Use your finger to write the word on someone’s back

Write the words with magnets on the fridge or a cookie sheet Use any other letter/number writing practice ideas