Bugs. They never go out of style with children. Whether they are real or plastic, insects are fascinating to boys and girls alike. If you’re looking for fun fine motor activities for kids, this one will be right up your alley. Let’s have some fun making and smooshing bugs with this fine motor sensory play. Let’s make fingerprint bugs!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Ink pad, plain paper, crayons or markers, scissors
WHAT TO DO: First we need to create our bugs. Using an inkpad, have your child make fingerprints all over his paper. Single thumbprints for butterflies and spiders, 3 little finger prints in a line for ants and caterpillars, or maybe an index finger and thumbprint next to each other for flies and bees! Make sure to involve all the fingers for strength and finger isolation practice! Next, let your child’s imagination soar creating the details on their fingerprints, bringing their bugs to life! Using crayons or markers, let your child draw wings, antennae, legs, eyes, stingers, etc. onto their prints. You can stop here or keep the activity going! Next, have your child get some scissor practice by cutting out each bug. Now, let’s move our bodies and hear some giggles. Hide the bugs around the house, classroom, or outside area. Tell the children to find their bugs. When they find one, have them SMOOSH it (see below for different ways to play!)
HOW TO CHANGE IT UP:
-Add variety to this activity by giving kids different ways to smoosh their bugs! You can use any fun or interesting object you have lying around your home or classroom: pillows, cups, a sock, a fly swatter, mush them with playdoh, or squish them with fists…anything!
-If your child is not ready for finger isolation to make fingerprints, then simply let them use a dot marker or a Do a Dot Marker instead!
SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED: Bilateral coordination, fine motor skills, finger isolation, grasp, prewriting skills, proprioception, strength, visual motor integration, visual perceptual skills
Looking for more inspiration?
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