What do turning a doorknob, building a Lego tower, and tying a knot all have in common? They all require fine motor skills — something your little one is still developing!
But here’s the thing. Just like any other area of growth, fine motor skills develop at a different pace for all children. So it’s common for some kids to lag behind their peers. That’s why we see some kids who struggle to hold on to objects from time to time, even after they have grown into adults.
Luckily, there’s a lot you can do to help speed up your child’s fine motor development. One of the best ways, however, is to encourage your child to have fun with some fine motor skills toys.
So let’s look at seven toys that are sure to keep your little one laughing while boosting his fine motor skills at the same time.
1. Manhattan Toy Dress Up Friends
Did you know dressing up is a great activity for building fine motor skills? While your toddler may not be old enough to dress themselves just yet, they can practice on these fun dolls from Manhattan Toy.
Your child can choose between a pirate and a princess (or both)! Both dolls have features that improve fine motor skills, like buttons, snaps, zippers, a shoe tie, and hook-and-loop closures.
2. Playskool Mr. Potato Head
Mr. Potato Head is one of those rare toys that every kid loves. So your toddler will have fun playing with it, swapping its features, and using his fingers to push and pull the various pieces.
While your kid will have fun creating fresh looks for the stylish spud, he will also get to work on the intrinsic muscles of his palms, wrists, and fingers.
3. Fisher-Price Snap-Lock Beads
If your kid enjoys putting things together, he’s going to love this toy! Getting the tab of the bead into the holes of the snap-lock takes a lot of dexterity for a toddler.
So it’s a complete package: fun, challenging, and super effective for improving fine motor skills.
4. Hape Build Up & Away Blocks
No child should grow up without a set of blocks in his room. That’s because blocks have countless developmental benefits, ranging from encouraging open-ended play to improving spatial skills.
But the best benefit of blocks is that they’re especially great for fine motor development.
We recommend the Hape Build Up & Away Blocks because they come in 50 different colors that will have your child’s excitement levels through the roof.
5. Fat Brain Toys SpinAgain
If your toddler finds it boring to place one thing over another, then he may find this stacking toy interesting because it puts a new spin on the classic concept — literally.
With the Fat Brain Toys SpinAgain, your child gets to see the colorful discs slowly spinning to the bottom instead of the usual boring drop you’ll find in other toys.
6. Hape Creative Peg Puzzle
Do you want a more complex toy that you too can enjoy with your kid?
Then this creative peg puzzle with added layers of difficulty is the one you’re looking for.
Joining the four puzzle bases together and twisting the shapes onto the grooved pegged posts is fun, challenging, and far more stimulating than any other toy on this list.
7. Melissa and Doug Basic Skills Board
If we could recommend only one toy from our list, it would be this one.
Although at first glance it appears to be just a plain old puzzle, this board is a lot more. Each piece on it serves a specific purpose and targets a unique skill.
So as your kid buckles, ties, and zips various pieces, he will develop his fine motor skills faster than ever!