Science Tools For Building Fine Motor Skills

Science activities make for terrific experiences and play opportunities for young kids to learn and discover about the world around them. Did you know that science activities also offer the opportunity to practice fine motor skills. I am excited to share with you a few of our favorite fine motor activities below and the science tools we use.

BUILDING FINE MOTOR SKILLS WITH SIMPLE SCIENCE

Favorite Fine Motor Ideas and Tools for Science Activities

FINE MOTOR SKILLS BOOK

If you are looking for tons of ideas in one place, check out our book 99 Fine Motor Ideas For Ages 1 to 5.

You will find fun, engaging ideas to involve the fine motor muscles in your child’s hands, fingers, and wrists. Ten talented moms come together to share the most successful, creative, and inspiring invitations to play that they set up for their own kids to get those little hands working!

Your child’s hands develop and change so much in the first years of life. From chubby newborn fists that can barely open to infants reaching for your face as they coo to toddlers self feeding and stacking blocks, soon you will have a preschooler learning to cut, write, and turn the pages of a book!

SIMPLE FINE MOTOR TOOLS

TONGS/TWEEZERS

Tongs or tweezers are perfect for improving finger grasps and strengthening hands.

They help scientists remove and separate various materials for examination.

Science activities such as our pumpkin investigation, flower science, preschool observation, and spider obleck all use tongs or tweezers!

EYEDROPPERS

Eyedroppers are also great for finger grasp practice, squeezing, and finger strength.

Scientists use eyedroppers to transfer small amounts of liquids for examination, testing, and observation.

Ice melting science is a fun way we use eyedroppers including this icy dinosaur egg excavation . Make a homemade lava lamp too. We also love to use eyedroppers for baking soda science experiments too.

SQUEEZE BOTTLE

Squeeze bottles are great for building whole hand strength by squeezing!

You can see squeeze bottles in action in many of our science activities including this awesome icy castle melting activity or this water absorption science activity.

Water Absorption Science Experimenting with Water Volume Sponge Science

SQUIRT BOTTLE

A squirt bottle is awesome for hand-eye coordination and finger strengthening.

They can be tricky but we enjoy using them just the same! See squirt bottles in action in our icy treasure melt or our tie dyed coffee filter art.

Making tie dyed coffee filter art and science

FINGERS

Practicing specific grasps with little fingers is also excellent fine motor practice.

Scientists have to be skilled with their fingers, have good hand eye coordination, and be able to pick up tiny objects.

Building structures with edible and non edible items is fun finger work! Also removing items from substances like our treasure slime activity is great work. How about building mini robots too!