As a preschool-grade teacher, it’s your job to be aware that it’s not only a matter of knowledge that you have to share with your students—but also to pay attention to their motor skill development.

When your students grow older, motor skills are really needed for them to carry on daily activities.

Our motor skills consist of two things: fine & gross motor skills. So, what are those? And what are the activities that will be crucial to develop fine & gross motor skills? Let’s take a look!

What Is Gross Motor Skill?

Gross motor is a skill that involves huge muscles, foot, and arms to produce a wide, thorough movement. The most common examples are walking, running, standing, jumping, sitting, throwing, kicking balls, riding bikes, and even swimming. It can be heavily related with physical and sports activities.

Although it looks simple, some people can't use their gross motor skills easily and automatically. There’s a huge coordination between muscles and nervous system that need to work together.

However, if you practice it from early childhood for your students, it can also increase their strength, fitness, and body balance.

Not only that, the gross motor skill can also help your students get to know their surroundings, practice collaborations and agility, as well as doing their hobbies. 

Gross Motor Activities Examples for Preschool

1. Playing jump ropes

Jump ropes are considered a simple activity; you only have to prepare a rope, and it can be done outdoor. It’s very suitable for 4–5 years old children, and students can practice their coordinations since they need to jump with two feet.

On a side note, they can also burn their calories, and you can keep on engaging them to move and do activities healthily.

2. Follow animal movements

One of the most basic gross motor skills is to practice movements, and following animal movements are quite relevant. It’s fun and easy to follow, especially if you use engaging visualizations for the students—like using Assemblr EDU's ready-to-use topics.

We have topics specifically made for preschool or kindergarten grades, which simulate how animals move in the form of engaging presentations and videos.

You can connect your laptop with your screen projector in the classroom, so the movements will be displayed right away in front of the classroom. Students can follow jumping, running, or even other movements more easily.

3. Throw balls to basket

This can be an ice breaking session with less preparations. You can simply prepare the plastic balls and baskets in the classroom. Then, make sure to ask your students to throw the balls to the basket.

Not only for practicing to be precise, you can also hone their manipulative motor skills. It’s to make them practice their movements handling a few objects.

What Is Fine Motor Skill?

Unlike gross motor skills, fine motor skills involve movements that will be beneficial for daily activities.

This needs a high level of concentration, focusing on the use of fine muscles or small muscles from wrists and arms—as well as eye-hand coordination.

Certainly, since this one needs concentrations, fine motor skills need a higher level of precision. For example, cutting things, drawing, coloring, holding something, buttoning up shirts, and many more.

Just like practicing gross motor, fine motor also needs continuous practice, so it can help boost students’ efficiency in executing their tasks.

This one affects the whole speed and work results, as well as daily activities such as doing homework, finishing their works, or socializing with friends.

Fine Motor Activities Examples for Preschool

1. Organizing blocks or puzzles

Playing with blocks or puzzles is super fun and also beneficial to improve students’ fine motor skills. It’s pretty easy; all you have to do is prepare the blocks or puzzles with exciting colors to make them feel enjoyable when doing activities.

After that, don’t forget to invite them to organize the blocks or puzzles until they become a whole piece. This one is easy to use in the classroom. It’s less hassle!

2. Coloring objects

Coloring has been a very common activity, but you can also give a little bit of twist! Simply use Assemblr EDU, and you can show the 3D objects or topics that you want in front of the classroom—for example, about animals.

Once they see the topics, you can invite them to color the objects and accompany them while coloring to make sure the colors are in line. For example, when students color the tiger, make sure that they also follow the exact color on the topic presented.

3. Playing origami

In the classroom, playing origami or folding papers can be fun for students. It can also improve their fine motor skills since they need to focus on their concentration.

Students also need to coordinate between their hands and eyes so they can fold precisely, and origami can also help them learn about proportion, symmetry, and shapes.

So, those are a few things about gross and fine motor skills—and the examples on how you can use them for your preschool studens. Make sure to try it out and follow the tips, teachers!