
Work on Fine Motor Skills While Preparing for Thanksgiving!
Here come the holidays! Thanksgiving is around the corner, a time for family gatherings, fun and quite a bit of preparation. Including your child in some of the preparations may help you both. You have an assistant and your child works on his/her fine motor skills!
Do you make sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving?
Consider letting your child help place those miniature marshmallows on top. Along with improving their pincer skills, this task also addresses motor planning. You can make the task more challenging by creating a pattern with the marshmallows for your child to follow.
If you mash your potatoes by hand, letting your child take turns with the masher develops hand and grip strength. Plus you are teaching them a life skill!
Decorations always make the holiday table festive!
Your child can help in this area too. They can make place cards for your guests by tracing around a turkey cookie cutter, then cutting it out and writing each person’s name on the card. Children can also roll the silverware in a napkin and set it at each plate.
Each of these activities develops fine motor skills and hand strength along with keeping your child busy while you complete your preparations.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Elise Bondy, COTA/L