Toys/Ideas to enhance fine motor skills

[mom to little e]

Hi all - I'm searching for some toys and ideas to enhance DSs fine motor skills. We have a set of HABA wooden beads to thread but the dog ate the threading stick. Grrr...

Any/all suggestions greatly appreciated!

TIA~
Maryann
Mommy to Ean & Mia!

[crl]

Not sure what age your DS is. . . .

You can use pipe cleaners to string those beads (a great idea I got hear).

Shape sorters are great.

If you aren't too worried about the choking hazard, you can use dried beans in a variety of ways. Pour them from cup to pan, etc. Also, you can poke a little hole in the top of an empty, clean yogurt container and have your DS put beans through the hole.

Playdough can be good for hand stength. You can also bury things (beans, green army men), etc in it and have your DS dig them back out. There are some great homemade recipes on the web and some have been posted here before so you could do a search for them.

Crayons, markers, paints.

Puzzles are good.

Duplos or megablocks.

That's all I can think of right now.

[brittone2]

Maryann-
How old is your DC?

THere have been some good old threads on the subject....i'll try to dig them up.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=12&topic_id=47037&mode=full
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=12&topic_id=40945&mesg_id=40945&listing_type=search
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=12&topic_id=34192&mesg_id=34192&listing_type=search
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=12&topic_id=32562&mode=full

I just saw this the other day and thought it looked like a fun fine motor activity:
http://hearthsong.com/hearthsong/product.do?section_id=2&bc=1005&pgc=1609&sv=2423&cmvalue=HS|2||203|COLLECTION|2423|2423-P2

As the PP said, you can thread beads on a chopstick or knitting needle, (not a sharp one obviously), straw (depending on the size of the holes), a pipecleaner, or a shoelace (the most challenging of the three).