Board Games That Boost Fine Motor Skills
Have you ever thought about the tiny muscles and movements that allow you to jot down notes with a pen or pencil, button a shirt, turn a page in a book, or grasp a fork or spoon to eat? Perhaps not, as these are second nature for many older kids and adults, but no doubt took plenty of practice and patience to perfect!
These vital everyday activities are all coordinated actions performed using fine motor skills and are crucial for daily living activities. So, it's no surprise that fine motor skills are fundamental to a child's growth and overall development! As children sharpen their fine motor skills, they instinctively become more independent, confident, and creative. Beyond practical tasks, fine motor development is closely linked to cognitive and behavioral growth. It supports problem-solving, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. Building these skills early on sets children up for academic success and on a path to becoming resourceful, resilient adults.
What are Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are one of the essential building blocks in a child's overall development, and they progress from birth to adulthood. Fine motor skills enable a person to perform precise movements using small muscles, primarily in their hands, fingers, and wrists. The 'major 6' essential fine motor skills encompass pincer grasp, hand-eye coordination, finger dexterity, scissor skills, writing readiness, and drawing abilities.
Why Fine Motor Skills Matter
Mastering fine motor skills lays the foundation for countless daily activities and is linked to cognitive abilities and brain-boosting executive functions such as memory and direction-following. Encouraging fine motor development during early childhood not only sets the stage for academic success but also promotes self-confidence, independence, and self-care.
How Board Games Enhance Fine Motor Skills
Playing board games is not only FUN but is a clever way to enhance a child's fine motor skills! Many board games involve handling small game pieces, rolling dice, shuffling cards, or moving pawns, all of which require precise hand movements and coordination. These actions help strengthen the muscles in the fingers and hands while improving dexterity and control. Additionally, games that require spinning dials, picking up items with tweezers, or arranging tiles provide opportunities to refine pincer grip and hand-eye coordination.
By incorporating board games into playtime, children can practice these skills in an enjoyable and low-pressure setting, all while supporting their overall fine motor development!
Benefits Beyond Fine Motor Skills
The benefits of playing board games go far beyond just practicing and perfecting fine motor skills. When you play a board game, you naturally put into play other crucial academic and life skills such as:
- Cognitive Skills: Strategic thinking, problem-solving, decision-making.
- Social Skills: Teamwork, collaboration, communication, taking turns, learning patience.
- Quality Time: Endless opportunities for screen-free family togetherness resulting in shared fun for the entire crew!
Our Top 5 Games that Boost Fine Motor Skills
While most if not all SimplyFun games incorporate some element of fine motor skill in gameplay (hello dice, playing cards, and pawns), here are five of our favorite motor-skill-boosting games for preschool and elementary-aged kiddos who may be in the thick of refining this essential ability.
Dreaming Dragon
2-4 players • 30 min • 6 & up
Skills: Self Control, Spatial Reasoning, Fine Motor
Help sneaky lizards escape the dragon’s nest! Use your pincer grasp, focus, and spatial reasoning to lift them out using a pincher tool without letting an egg fall or waking the dragon. Steady hands and sharp wits give you the biggest pile of lizards!
Ice Tumble
2-4 players • 15 min • 7 & up
Skills: Spatial Reasoning, Fine Motor
Roll the die, grab your ice blocks, and stack away to build the coolest sculpture! Use your spatial reasoning and just one hand to carefully collect and then place ice blocks on the sculpture while trying to keep the blocks from toppling down. The first to place all their blocks and fox pawn wins!
Kilter
2-4 players • 15-20 min • 8 & up
Skills: Physics, Fine Motor, Planning
Fun meets physics in Kilter! Balance levers while you place blocks with a steady hand to avoid knocking any off the seesaw. Flex your planning skills as you move blocks to predict outcomes and see how the weight and placement of the blocks affect the balance of the seesaw. It’s a clever game that’s a blast for the whole family while learning cool science concepts!
My Fun Set
1+ players • 10 min • 2 & up
Skills: Colors & Shape Recognition, Fine Motor, Sensory
- My Fun Day: Learn months, days, seasons, and more with the colorful wooden board and fun activity disks. Boost your child’s fine motor skills and daily awareness while learning key life skills!
- My Fun Shapes: Explore all the many fun ways to master balance and coordination with this set of 30 colorful wooden blocks! Experiment with sizes, weights, and motion to explore various building patterns.
- My Fun Buddy Book: Meet Tibbar rabbit and the rest of the SimplyFun Buddies in this cuddly cloth (and quiet) book that inspires imagination and sensory development. Explore the unique traits, textures, and colors of the SimplyFun Buddies then use the split pages to mix and match ears and tails for new and playful variations!
Share a Berry
2-4 players • 30 min • 3 & up
Skills: Counting, Fine Motor
Flip your cards, add berries to your string, and follow Beary’s directions to share or receive berries from others. It’s a fun way to boost fine motor skills as players count out beads and thread them onto their string while learning left from right and taking turns. The player with the most berries wins!
Game On
So, there you have it! Here's your inspiration to incorporate board games into your child's routine to set the stage and support fine motor skill development from early on. Little do they know that the fun of moving game pawns, rolling dice, and fanning out playing cards can play an important role in developing this crucial life skill. Playing board games not only improves fine motor skills, but it underscores how play is a vital part of a child's overall development. Ready? Game on!
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