Fine Motor Skills is one of a two-part publication series in the area of development of motor skills in the primary or Early years setting. The other publication is on the subject of Gross motor skills which I will be reviewing this year here at anseo.net as well.
Fine motor skills is a thorough and fun way for teachers to ensure they are targeting all of the area of fine motor skills. The introduction touches on early years development and explains exactly what fine motor skills are. Fine motor skills refers to a pupil’s ability to use his/her hands to operate tools accurately. These include scissors, pencils, crayons and manipulatives. It is not about strength but coordination of the muscles involved. Pencil skills can be pushed too, this book states, and can lead to poor
habits which cause major problems later on for the child in question.
The book is divided into various sections: shoulder and wrist activities, wrist and hand activities, hand and finger activities, scissors activities, drawing and writing and printing practice with a lovely appendix listing recipes for playdough.
The main reason why this book is useful to an educator of 4-6 year olds is that it outlines carefully the staged approach to helping a child/children in developing their fine motor skills. It gives a wide range of active approaches to more paper-based photocopiable templates( in the form of cutting, gluing exercises etc).
The teacher can select some or all of the exercises appropriate for their class based on the fine motor skills checklist, another handy document at the start of the book for those concerned about child struggling with fine motor skills. There is also some teacher information on motor planning, body awareness, bilateral integration, tactile awareness and early childhood development. This serves as an important reminder.
This book is
the manual of all skills fine and motor! There are excellent opportunities here for the Infant teacher, early years practitioner and support teacher to use in the mainstream or support setting. Parents could also carry out these activities at home.
This book is an invaluable and comprehensive book on one of the most important skills for an infant child. I can recommend. I will be using this in my language, visual arts and child-led play( fine motor skills area) upon return to the classroom in the new school year.
Fine motor skills is available from Prim-Ed at their website at https://www.prim-ed.com/webshop/Infant-Classes/Art-and-Development-Activities/Fine-Motor-Skills and it costs €29.99.
Last Update: March 28, 2018