Scientists, psychologists and neuroscientists have long argued that fine motor skills are closely related to the development of the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for speech, and tactile perception of a person. It is a combination of actions coordinated among themselves, various body systems (bone, nervous, muscle), especially when performing small and precise movements with fingers and hands.
At the beginning of life, it is the development of fine motor skills of the hands that affects the intellectual abilities of the child. Much in his future life depends on how cleverly the baby manages objects with his fingers. After all, this skill will then come in handy when fastening clothes, writing, and many other skills.
Parents are encouraged to engage in the development of fine motor skills of children almost from birth. It is very important to deal with children after a year and preschoolers. There are simple exercises and games for this.
It’s worth starting as early as possible. For a baby, a light massage of the hands and each individual finger is sufficient. Toys that can not only be touched and grabbed, but also moved, disassembled, assembled, etc., will help to ensure that the fine motor skills of the baby’s hands gradually develop. The games "Ladushki", "Magpie-Crow", "Horned Goat", known from childhood, can be used as early as six months. At the beginning of daily activities, an adult shows movements or makes them with the handles of a child, gradually the child learns to repeat after parents independently.
Such work should be carried out regularly, while taking into account the age and level of physical development of the child. Finger games will be of interest to both the youngest children and preschoolers and even to younger schoolchildren. Creative teachers use elements of theatrical activity with finger puppets in their lessons. Thanks to this, not only fine motor skills develop, but also speech, attention, and imagination of children. Parents at home can also stage performances using these kinds of dolls. This, among other things, will help strengthen relationships and bring families together.
Paints that are painted without a brush (the so-called "finger") are becoming increasingly popular. Thus, children begin their knowledge of the world, familiarity with color, develop their abilities. It is worth encouraging every achievement of the child, even if it seems to parents to be insignificant, because there are no trifles in the formation of a small person. The baby began to reach for the toy, the baby took the spoon for the first time, the preschooler drew his first drawing - it’s all worth welcoming and stimulating. And everywhere, fine motor skills are involved.
There is a lot of talk about the fact that speech is directly related to motor skills. This is another of the most important reasons, because of which the development of the latter is necessary. Speech-delayed children usually also have poor finger coordination . The consequence of this may be a violation of writing (dysgraphia), and hence other learning problems.
I must say that special pedagogical skills for the development of fine motor skills are not required. After a year, you can use such familiar games as mosaic (it’s better to start with simple pictures containing a few elements, gradually complicating it), a designer (only under the supervision of adults up to three years old), modeling from plasticine or salt dough.
Such exercises contribute to the fact that the child’s fine motor skills develops, thereby stimulating other cognitive processes of the child, as well as speech. I must say that you should not treat these activities and games as something necessary, to force the kids. This should be an interesting and enjoyable pastime for both adults and children. Even the usual tying of the lace can turn into an interesting and developing game.