Toys That Help Your Child Develop Overall Dexterity
http://www.educationbuzz.net/articles/3761/1/Toys-That-Help-Your-Child-Develop-Overall-Dexterity/Page1.html
Art Gib
Scholastic (http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/guidedreading/) provides teaching instruction such as the Guided Reading program. Scholastic started over a half century ago sponsoring student book publishing and reading advocacy. The author, Art Gib, is a freelance writer. By Art Gib
Published on 12/1/2009
Developing coordination and dexterity of all kinds is integral to a child's proper development. Manual dexterity is the ability of the hands and fingers to move in a coordinated manner and is an essential skill to learn both for its immediate usefulness and for possible future career options.
Developing coordination and dexterity of all kinds is integral to a child's proper development. Manual dexterity is the ability of the hands and fingers to move in a coordinated manner and is an essential skill to learn both for its immediate usefulness and for possible future career options. The younger your child begins to develop these skills, the better: here are some toys that can really help.
Shape Sorters
For toddlers, shape sorters are a great place to start. Choose a toy that is either made from chunky wood, plastic, or soft vinyl since little ones should not play with small objects. Placing the appropriate shape in the appropriate hole helps their brains to make the connection between the visual and the analytical. Moving the different pegs to fit into the right hole helps them to begin to develop manual dexterity.
Buttons, Snaps, and Lacing Boards
Once a toddler's fine motor skills are ready to be honed, she should move on to learning how to handle buttons and snaps. There are soft, large board toys that focus on the development of these essential skills. Make sure you select a board that has large buttons that are easier to work than little ones. Lacing boards should rapidly follow: you child will learn how to thread laces through holes and work with smaller holes requiring extra effort. Look for other ways to help your child develop these skills, such as threading Cheerios on a length of yarn.
Practice Cube
A great toy that brings everything together is a large, vinyl-covered foam cube that sits on the floor. Each side of the cube has a different manual dexterity challenge: buttons hook and loop, buckles, zippers, laces, and other commonly seen mechanisms. It is a virtual laboratory for the development of fine motor skills and overall dexterity. Such a cube is ideal for preschool settings as well as the home, since its size allows many children to play at one time.
Balancing Toys
Once a child is two years old, she is confident enough in her walking skills to begin to develop more sophisticated gross motor skills and dexterity. A great way to help her learn how to balance better is to provide balancing toys: soft vinyl-covered foam balance beams that lie on the floor are terrific for this. They are wide enough to not be intimidating, yet they are challenging enough to require your child to work at staying on top. The foam construction makes these balancing toys a safe way to play and learn indoors.
Parents and preschool teachers should always be on the lookout for innovative ways to help their little children develop the manual and overall dexterities that will benefit kids now and throughout their lives: it's playing with a purpose, and it's fun!
Shape Sorters
For toddlers, shape sorters are a great place to start. Choose a toy that is either made from chunky wood, plastic, or soft vinyl since little ones should not play with small objects. Placing the appropriate shape in the appropriate hole helps their brains to make the connection between the visual and the analytical. Moving the different pegs to fit into the right hole helps them to begin to develop manual dexterity.
Buttons, Snaps, and Lacing Boards
Once a toddler's fine motor skills are ready to be honed, she should move on to learning how to handle buttons and snaps. There are soft, large board toys that focus on the development of these essential skills. Make sure you select a board that has large buttons that are easier to work than little ones. Lacing boards should rapidly follow: you child will learn how to thread laces through holes and work with smaller holes requiring extra effort. Look for other ways to help your child develop these skills, such as threading Cheerios on a length of yarn.
Practice Cube
A great toy that brings everything together is a large, vinyl-covered foam cube that sits on the floor. Each side of the cube has a different manual dexterity challenge: buttons hook and loop, buckles, zippers, laces, and other commonly seen mechanisms. It is a virtual laboratory for the development of fine motor skills and overall dexterity. Such a cube is ideal for preschool settings as well as the home, since its size allows many children to play at one time.
Balancing Toys
Once a child is two years old, she is confident enough in her walking skills to begin to develop more sophisticated gross motor skills and dexterity. A great way to help her learn how to balance better is to provide balancing toys: soft vinyl-covered foam balance beams that lie on the floor are terrific for this. They are wide enough to not be intimidating, yet they are challenging enough to require your child to work at staying on top. The foam construction makes these balancing toys a safe way to play and learn indoors.
Parents and preschool teachers should always be on the lookout for innovative ways to help their little children develop the manual and overall dexterities that will benefit kids now and throughout their lives: it's playing with a purpose, and it's fun!