I have a Valentine fine motor activity that also is the perfect letter review. The supplies in this activity can be swapped out for any season or holiday! We are gearing up for Valentine’s Day, so this will be a huge hit next month.
Why do preschoolers need to work on their fine motor skills?
Preschoolers need to work on fine motor skills to help them develop the coordination and strength necessary for activities such as writing, drawing, cutting, and using small objects. Developing these skills will help them become independent and be able to effectively express themselves. With good fine motor skills, preschoolers can also practice problem-solving and become better prepared for more complex activities in school. Practicing fine motor skills will also help them develop the hand-eye coordination needed for tasks such as sports and playing musical instruments.
Valentine Fine Motor Activity Supplies
For this fine motor activity, you will need a few supplies. Some of these you will have around the house, but some are fun ones to have on hand for future activities.
- Scissors
- Beaded Necklaces
- Wooden Letter and Number Boards (these boards are similar to the ones I bought years ago)
Valentine Fine Motor Activity
I love this activity because your preschooler will be working on their fine motor skills throughout the entire activity. Your preschooler will use their scissors and beaded necklaces to cut the beads apart from the necklace. They will use those beads with their wooden letter and number boards once they finish cutting their beads apart.
Fine Motor Letter and Number Activity
I love this activity because your preschooler can also review the concept that is on the board. When we did the letter activity we identified each letter before placing the Valentine beads on the board. If my preschoolers got stuck, they would point and say each letter until the got to the letter they were unsure of.
For the number board, your preschooler can fill in each number which is what my preschoolers did. On the second time through this activity, my preschool grouped the colors together and made a pattern. For example, for the number 2, she would put two red hearts and then two pink hearts. She continued that until she had filled in the entire number.
Doing activities that practice fine motor skills is important for preschoolers and doing it in a fun way will encourage them to do it more. Fine motor skills are important for preschoolers to develop as it helps them with activities like opening snack wrappers, tying shoelaces, improving pencil grip, and other activities that require precision. Developing fine motor skills can also help preschoolers with problem-solving, such as building blocks, puzzles, and manipulating objects.
