Fine Motor Friday - Get Messy

Occupational Therapists study occupation. What is the occupation of a child? Simply put, it's play. Learning and growing in the area of fine motor development is crucial to a child's development of play and ultimately helps facilitate their later ability to be a successful student.

By profession, I'm a pediatric occupational therapist although I spend pretty much all my time being a mom. As Boo nears 3 years old it is getting easier to pull out some of my work stuff and start working on fine motor skills. It helps me too because I get to dust off those distance corners of my brain and start thinking OT again. Let's explore development and have some fun.


SENSORY PLAY - Getting Messy
Did you think that just because I have a series named "Fine Motor Friday" that I would remember to post every friday?! No, oh good because I just can't live up to that. So here's your Sunday update....

Fine motor development goes hand in hand with sensory play (or sensory development). Getting messy, exploring different textures, sensations, feelings, etc. is all part of using our hands in different ways and supports fine motor skills. So get messy!

Boo and I headed out one day with week when the sun was shining and it wasn't too chilly. Planning messy activities outside is the way to go but if that's not an option laying down lots of newspaper, tarps, plastic wrap, whatever is a good second best.

The goal of sensory play isn't the outcome (especially not at two years old) it's the process, the participation in the activity and the enjoyment. We choose rock painting. She loves to gather up rocks from the neighborhood (I may ask her to take some back with paint just for fun) so it was fun to incorporate her interest.



Can you see the joy? Being able to explore the world through sensory experiences is a pretty awesome thing. Some children don't enjoy getting messy and that's okay too but it's great to encourage. Using paint brushes instead of finger painting can be an option, wearing gloves, using different "tools" - all ways to get involved. What does sensory play do? Look at this picture - Boo's hand are open. She is experiencing the feeling of the paint (it was cold and slimy), she was using her hands to move around the rocks (feeling the cold, roughness of their surfaces, feeling the weight). There are a lot more going on than just getting messy and having fun. But more importantly, by using her hands to get messy and experience these different sensory experiences she is getting herself ready for fine motor development. Children that are fearful of sensory play often keep their hands closed (fisted or held to their sides). We need open hands to place scissors, or pencils.

I also had her join me in the clean up process. Making messes are fun but cleaning up can be too. Water painting (painting with water on the sidewalk) evolved out of that. So get messy and share your experience!