15 Fine Motor Activities for Kindergarten | Free File!

Fine motor activities for kindergarten! These hands-on activities and ideas are perfect for back to school in a kindergarten classroom. Kids will love these fun and educational fine motor ideas. Plus a free file!

Why do we work on fine motor skills in kindergarten?

Studies show that fine motor skills directly correlate with literacy and math development. One of the most important reasons we want students to strengthen their small muscles is so they can learn to write. A Kindergarten classroom is the perfect place to work on fine motor development, especially during the first few months! Here are 15 simple activities and ideas for fine motor skills development.

Fine Motor Activity #1: Pom Poms Sorting

Sorting pom poms with jumbo tweezers makes an amazing fine motor activity! Kindergarten friends will have so much fun sorting the poms poms into colored cups. This makes a great color recognition task, too!

Fine Motor Activity #2: Tracing

Tracing takes fine motor control. This simple activity is also great for working on pencil grasp.

Fine Motor Activity #3: Playdough Activities

Young children love play dough! Dough activities are perfect for little hands in the sensory bin.

The play dough mats can be found in this bundle:

Dough Fine Motor Center for Math and Literacy

There is also a set of themed play dough mats. You can check it out here:

184 Play Dough Mats Themed Literacy Activities

Fine Motor Activity #4: Digital Fine Motor Activities

You can use classroom devices to work on fine motor skills all while developing academic skills, too!

Students use Seesaw to complete these digital fine motor activities. Here is the ELA and math kindergarten bundle:

Seesaw Fine Motor Skills Bundle

Fine Motor Activity #5: Clothes Pin Activities

Children work on their small hand muscles using clothes pins. You can practice a variety of literacy and math skills all while improving fine motor development. These Clip-It literacy cards are a great way to practice letter recognition.

There are other literacy skills included in the bundle. Check it out here:

Clip It! Literacy Centers Bundle

Fine Motor Activity #6: Pattern Blocks

Putting pattern blocks together to create something takes some hand-eye coordination. These name building cards are a fun way to practice names in kindergarten.

Fine Motor Activity #7: Threading Beads

A classic way of strengthening those little muscles. Put out some beads and pipe cleaners and you have a fun activity for your little learners! This is a great option to have during free play.

Fine Motor Activity #8: Puzzles

Putting puzzles together is great fine motor work. These puzzle pieces make up the letters of the alphabet.

Fine Motor Activity #9: Lacing Cards

These lacing cards are an easy way to incorporate fine motor development into your day. Add these activities to a center, early finisher tub, or busy bags!

Good news, you can snag this free file at the end of the blog post!

Fine Motor Activity #10: Q-Tip Painting

Add some paint to a paper plate and let your littles get in some more name practice!

Fine Motor Activity #11: Linking Cubes

These linking cube building cards from Deanna Jump are a fun way to develop fine motor strength!

Fine Motor Activity #12: Geoboards

In kindergarten, geoboards are so cool! They love them!! Manipulating the rubber bands to make different designs is a great fine motor activity.

Fine Motor Activity #13: Word Building

Use word-building cubes in a literacy center to practice making words. You could also have students build their sight words.

Fine Motor Activity #14: Cutting with scissors

Of course, we work on developing our scissor skills in kindergarten. Cutting takes a lot of practice! We practice cutting while making crafts and various other activities. One idea for scissor practice is to add all of your recycled papers to a tub and let students cut out designs or zig-zag lines… really anything to build finger strength.

Fine Motor Activity #15: Blocks

Building with blocks is great fine motor practice for young kids!

There are so many ways to have some fine motor fun in kindergarten! These are just a few of my favorite fine motor activities! Enjoy!

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Deedee Wills

My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!