Master Montessori Motor Skills with These 7 Expert Tips
by alexander smith
Unique Fine Motor Activities for Infants: A Parent’s Perspective on the Best Ones for Different Ages
As a parent, I’m always on the lookout for fun and engaging activities that can help my little one develop important skills. And when it comes to infants, fine motor skills are some of the most crucial to nurture early on. Over the past year, I’ve tried a variety of fine motor activities with my baby, and it’s been both rewarding and eye-opening to see how each activity supports their growth. In this post, I’ll share some of my favorites, categorized by age, along with my honest take on which ones worked best at different stages.
0-6 Months: The Early Days of Exploration
At this stage, babies are just starting to grasp, reach, and explore their world with their hands. I’ve found that the activities in this phase should be simple yet sensory-rich to capture their attention. . **Exploring Textures with a Sensory Board** This was a game-changer for us around the 4-month mark. I created a basic sensory board with everyday items like felt, bubble wrap, and soft cotton. I was amazed at how my baby would focus on each texture, brushing their hands over the different surfaces. Even though they weren’t able to grab things tightly yet, the sensory board introduced them to new sensations, which I think was key to their early development.
Why It’s Perfect for 0-6 Months:** Babies at this age love to explore new textures but don’t have the dexterity for more complex tasks. The sensory board offers a low-pressure way for them to experience touch without requiring precise movements. - It’s also a great bonding activity, as you can talk to your baby about what they’re feeling, helping with early language development.
6-9 Months: Grasping and Manipulating
Once babies start to get a better grip on things, it’s time to introduce more hands-on activities. During this stage, I noticed my baby becoming more interested in how things move and how they can manipulate objects. Their little hands were ready for a challenge!
2. Pom-Pom Drop Around 7 months, my baby became obsessed with grabbing and dropping things (hello, endless picking up from the floor!). The Pom-Pom Drop was an absolute hit. I attached a cardboard tube to the side of a table and showed them how to drop pom-poms through it. The moment the pom-pom popped out the other end, there was pure joy!
Why It’s Great for 6-9 Months: - This activity helps babies practice their grip as they grasp and release the pom-poms. - It encourages hand-eye coordination and is visually stimulating when the pom-poms disappear and reappear. - I found it was also a great way to keep my baby entertained for a solid 20 minutes — which, in parent-time, feels like a miracle!
Pro Tip: Try using different sizes of pom-poms to mix things up and offer new challenges as their coordination improves.
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9-12 Months: Building Precision and Control
As my baby grew closer to their first birthday, their fine motor skills were really starting to shine. At this stage, they were fascinated by stacking, pulling, and more complex tasks that required greater precision.
3. Ribbon Pull The Ribbon Pull activity was a favorite around 10 months. I threaded colorful ribbons through a shoebox and tied knots at both ends. My baby would sit for ages, pulling the ribbons back and forth. It was a wonderful way to practice gripping and hand strength.
Why It’s Ideal for 9-12 Months: Babies at this age are developing more precise finger movements, and the ribbon pull helps strengthen those muscles. - It’s a simple setup, but the repetitive action of pulling and seeing the ribbons move kept my baby fully engaged. - Plus, you can switch up the ribbons with different textures to keep it interesting over time.
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As we crossed the 1-year mark, my toddler became more interested in building, stacking, and problem-solving activities. These next two activities were my top picks for supporting this developmental leap.
4. Stacking Cups Stacking cups became an all-time favorite as my toddler hit 12 months. It wasn’t just about building towers and knocking them down (although that was a favorite part!). My toddler also started to figure out how to nest the cups inside one another. We spent a lot of time stacking, unstacking, and repeating the process, and I could see their coordination improving day by day.
Why It’s Perfect for 12-18 Months: - Stacking cups help toddlers develop precision and control as they figure out how to balance and build. - It’s a great activity for encouraging spatial awareness and problem-solving. - I loved watching my little one’s concentration as they experimented with stacking and nesting the cups in different ways. Pro Tip: Add in some soft blocks or other stacking toys to vary the challenge as they grow more confident.
5. Clothespin Drop This one was a bit of a surprise hit! I introduced the Clothespin Drop activity around 14 months, and at first, my toddler struggled a bit with squeezing the clothespins. But with a little practice, they got the hang of it, and it became one of our favorite activities for strengthening finger muscles. We even started using other small objects like cotton balls to mix things up.
**Why It’s Great for 12-18 Months:** - This activity is all about precision and strength. Opening and closing the clothespins really works those fine motor muscles. - It’s perfect for practicing the pincher grasp, which will come in handy for future tasks like feeding and writing. - I liked that it provided a challenge but wasn’t too frustrating. My toddler felt proud when they mastered it!
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18 Months and Beyond: Creativity and Independence
As my toddler grew more confident in their fine motor abilities, I noticed they started seeking out activities that allowed for more creativity and independence. That’s where the following activities really shone.
6. Finger Painting Fun Finger painting has always been a fun go-to activity, but I started offering it more frequently once my toddler hit 18 months. They were more willing to get their hands messy and explore the different colors and textures of the paint. It’s a perfect combination of sensory play and fine motor practice.
Why It’s Best for 18 Months and Beyond: - Finger painting strengthens hand and finger muscles while allowing for creative expression. - It’s a fantastic sensory experience that helps toddlers develop spatial awareness. - I loved how my toddler would create their own little "masterpieces" while learning about colors and patterns.
Pro Tip: Use washable, non-toxic paint and keep a wet towel nearby for quick cleanups. Trust me, it gets messy!
7. Treasure Basket The treasure basket was another activity that came into its own as my toddler grew more independent. By 18 months, they loved exploring different objects in the basket, feeling the textures, and figuring out how each item worked. I rotated the objects every few days to keep it fresh and exciting.
Why It’s Ideal for Toddlers: - Encourages independent exploration and curiosity. - Supports fine motor development as toddlers grasp, shake, and examine objects. - It’s a great way to let your child lead their own playtime while you observe their growing skills.
Pro Tip: I found that household objects worked just as well as toys. Wooden spoons, teething rings, and soft fabric squares all made excellent additions to our treasure basket.
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Final Thoughts: As a parent, it’s been amazing to watch my baby’s fine motor skills develop through these activities. From simple sensory play in the early months to more complex tasks like stacking and grasping as they grew older, each activity brought something unique to the table. If I had to pick my top recommendations, I’d say the **Pom-Pom Drop** is best for around 6-9 months, **Stacking Cups** really shine at 12-18 months, and for 18 months and beyond, you can’t go wrong with a good old **Treasure Basket** or some creative **Finger Painting**.
Each activity has its own special benefits, and it’s so rewarding to see how they help build the foundation for future skills like writing, self-feeding, and problem-solving. Enjoy every moment — these activities offer a fun, hands-on way to bond with your little one while supporting their development!
