🧠 Visual-Perceptual-Motor Activities (Ages 3 and Up)

These activities help children develop the coordination between what they see and how they move their hands.

Mazes & Cutting Practice
Draw straight, curved, and cornered paths for your child to “drive” a pretend truck through with a pencil. Practice cutting along lines.
Dot-to-Dots
Use letters, shapes, and numbers (start with ~2″ tall letters) to improve visual tracking and sequencing.
Tracing Activities
Trace letters, numbers, shapes, and pictures using fingers, crayons, or pens—on paper or in textured materials like sand, salt, or flour.
Play-Dough Letters
Roll out long strips of play-dough or clay and form them into letters. You can also place them over letters drawn on paper.
Puzzles
Encourage puzzle play to build spatial awareness and problem-solving.
Verbal Cues for Writing
Reinforce letter formation with verbal prompts (e.g., “Start at the top, go straight down…” for the letter “t”).
Eyes-Open vs. Eyes-Closed Drawing
Practice drawing shapes and letters with eyes open, then closed, to build motor memory and spatial awareness.

✋ Fine Motor Activities (Ages 3 and Up)

These activities strengthen the small muscles in the hands and fingers.

Penny Pick-Up Game
Pick up coins and drop them into a jar or piggy bank using one hand at a time.
Nuts and Bolts
Screw nuts onto bolts using alternating hands to build bilateral coordination.
Beading
String beads onto shoelaces to improve hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity.
Paper Clip Practice
Clip paper clips onto the edges of paper to strengthen finger muscles.
Coupon Cutting
Let your child help cut coupons—great for practicing straight-line cutting.
Twisting Activities
Use wind-up toys or twist tissue paper into small pieces to glue onto paper for crafts.
Hand Slap Game
Play the palm-up/palm-down hand game to encourage wrist rotation and reaction time.
Coloring Small Shapes
Focus on using hand and wrist movements rather than the whole arm.
Dressing Practice
Use clothing with snaps, buttons, and zippers for hands-on dressing skills.

These early activities support sensory exploration and foundational motor skills.

Messy Play
Let your child explore textures by playing in food or other safe, messy materials.
Toy Variety
Offer toys of different sizes and shapes to encourage grasping and manipulation.
Simple Puzzles & Blocks
Use basic shape puzzles and building blocks to develop spatial and problem-solving skills.
In/Out Play
Practice placing objects in and out of containers to build coordination and understanding of object permanence.