Two Fine Motor Activities To Develop Math Skills

Using fine motor activities involving hand and finger movements is a great way to get a young child to practice and remember number concepts.

Here are two easy ways to mesh fine motor and simple math readiness skills for your kindergarten or 1st grade student.

Activity 1
You will need four items: index cards, any color marker, glue, and salt (or sand or sugar)

Directions:

• Use one index card for each number.
• Write the numbers 0 to 10 with the marker in the middle of the card. Make the numbers large enough to be seen easily, about 4 to 5 inches.
• With the glue, make a glue line to cover the number.
• While the glue is wet, sprinkle the sand, salt, or sugar over the card. 
• Set the cards aside to dry overnight.
• When completely dry, shake any excess salt off the cards.
• Have your child close her eyes and trace the number to identify it.
• When she can easily “feel” and recognize 0 to 10, repeat the process for numbers 11 to 20.

Activity 2
You’ll need index cards or strips of construction paper, a handheld hole punch, and a pencil.

Directions:

• Write a simple addition sentence on the card or paper strip, leaving a line at the end for the answer. For example 2 + 3 = __
• Using the hole punch, direct your child to squeeze the correct number of holes under each number—two holes under the 2, three holes under the 3.
• Have him count the total number of holes to find the answer to the addition sentence, and then print the numeral 5 with the pencil on the solution line at the end.
• Adding math to fine motor activities subtly reinforces facts while strengthening the small muscle groups of a young child’s hands and fingers.