Top Playground Activities For Fine Motor Skills
Updated on: January 22, 2024
The outdoor environment is a fantastic place for children to build fine motor skills. With children naturally curious and motivated to move, it’s easy to use playground activities to help pupils improve fine motor skills during outdoor play.
Our team of playground designers are brilliant at thinking about things like the development of gross and fine motor skills when designing playgrounds for schools and community areas.
Fine motor skills activities are much more common than you might think. For example, drawing with chalk outside is a fine motor skill activity because children will be using their fingers and hands to control the chalk and create marks.
Outdoor activities also offer young children lots of opportunities develop gross motor skills at the same time.
As children run, jump, and climb, they’re improving upper body strength, balance, and co-ordination which all help to build fine motor skills.
Here’s some easy ways you can use outdoor playground activities to promote the development of fine motor skills for children of any age.
Why Fine Motor Skills Are Important
Fine motor skills are the co-ordinated movements we use to do things with our hands, fingers, feet, lips, and eyes. We use fine motor skills to complete all sorts of everyday activities like getting dressed, cooking, writing, drawing, and picking things up.
The small muscles we use to carry out fine motor skills activities are built up over time as we grow. These activities involve a complex range of movements which include gross motor skills, such as balance and upper body strength, as well as the brain and nervous system.
Well-developed fine motor skills enable us to complete tasks quickly and accurately so fine motor skills activities are really important for young children. As EYFS children build strength in their hands, wrists, feet and more, they gain greater independence and confidence.
Top Playground Activities For Fine Motor Skills
1. Mud Kitchens
Mud kitchens are a brilliant fine motor skill activity for outdoor play.
As EYFS children squelch the mud with their hands and use utensils to turn, lift, stir and scoop the mud, they’re engaging in endless opportunities to develop muscle strength in their hands and wrists as well as hand-eye co-ordination.
Other activities, such as bending and lifting during play, help to improve balance, co-ordination, and upper body strength. See Mud Kitchen Unit
2. Gardening
Large tub planters make it really easy to introduce EYFS children to gardening whilst developing their fine motor skills.
A child-friendly planter, like our wall garden tub planter, is ideal for giving children the freedom to explore the wonders of gardening without worrying about the mess they make or plants they may pull up by mistake.
Multiple children can use the tub planter at the same time and pupils will be fascinated by the idea of growing their own plants. Whether you plant flowers, vegetables or both, there are so many learning opportunities to be found in growing botanicals.
Whilst children are pulling weeds, digging holes, picking up stones, turning over soil, and getting green-fingered, they’ll be engaging in valuable fine motor skills activities. See the Wall Garden Tub Planter
3. Sand and Water Play
Young children love sand and water play and it’s great for the development of fine motor skills too.
The outdoor setting means children are free to enjoy making a mess as they play. Sand and water are fantastic materials for motivating children to explore muscle strength in their hands and wrists.
Set up outdoor activities that inspire children to explore how objects work in sand and water. Make sure children have things they can fill, squirt, move, squeeze and lift.
For example, our River Run Station is an innovative sand and water table which allows children to investigate how small vehicles and objects move through water. See the River Run Station
4. Activity Panels
Activity panels are a fantastic way to encourage children to use their hands, wrists and fingers.
Activity panels are some of the most modern types of playground equipment that are both educational, fun, and space-saving! They come in a range of styles, including freestanding panels like the Apple Musical Station pictured, and activity panels which feature a single panel.
Children of all ages will enjoy the unique designs which feature multi-sensory playground activities. From textured areas to knobs to turn, buttons to push and elements to pull, twist and slide, there are so many ways for children to improve fine motor skills. See Activity Play Panels
5. Outdoor Musical Instruments
Taking musical instruments outside means children can make as much noise as they want. The chance to be loud and express themselves is great motivation for children to see how much their hands can do.
Our mounted outdoor musical instruments make it quick and simple for children to make music outside in any weather.
The vertical mount adds an extra layer of motor skill development, helping children to build upper body strength and co-ordination as they play.
Meanwhile, the open-ended design leaves children free to explore lots of ways to use their hands, fingers, and the beaters to make different types of sound. See the Outdoor Glockenspiel
Discover all these playground activities and more in our exciting collection of outdoor play equipment, ideal for helping children develop gross and fine motor skills.
Jess Sparks
Jess is deeply committed to supporting our mission of positively impacting UK outdoor play environments to promote healthy lifestyles in children.
With a CIM Level 6 Diploma in Sustainable Marketing, Jess channels her passion for sustainability into her marketing role, using her skills to promote eco-conscious practices and raise awareness for our initiatives.
Jess’ experience within the industry is instrumental in driving engagement and supporting connections with those who require ultra-durable, high-grade playground markings both locally and internationally.