Fine Motor Games with Painter’s Tape
I LOVE Painter’s Tape for 2 reasons:
Painter’s tape is a really inexpensive tool that can be used for hundreds of different games. You can pick up painter’s tape at most Big Box stores and even the Dollar Tree.
Painter’s Tape is designed to be safe on surfaces and not cause any damage.
If you are not in the mood to go out and shop for your supplies, head over to my Amazon Storefront and check out the Tools for Fun list which is where I list the supplies I use in my activities.
Activity #1
First up we have a Tracing Activity:
Tracing is a great way to begin learning how to draw lines, shapes, letters and words. Before children master writing letters and words they need to master pre-writing strokes. These strokes include vertical lines, horizontal lines, circles, crosses, diagonals, Xs, and triangles. Grab your freebie below by clicking here.
As a PT I like to create activities that focus on the use of core muscles for stability. So, I think combing tracing with vertical surface works checks both boxes. Here’s how to set up the activity:
Grab your tape and create pre-writing strokes on a vertical surface like a wall or door at your child’s shoulder height.
Then have your child trace those lines with their finger or a small section of pool noodle. If you’d rather just print pages for this activity, click here to grab your copy. You can simply print the pages and tape them to the wall.
Activity #2
Next up, we are Peeling Tape. Peeling tape off of a surface requires lots of strength and dexterity in the fingers and hand. To peel tape kids must use a pincer grasp which looks like this and is a necessary skill for handwriting. Peeling tape can be done on a counter top or table or even a wall (this version will require the most stability and strength). Begin with longer sections of tape and move on to smaller and smaller pieces. Smaller pieces require more strength and endurance in muscles of the hand. (Picture 1 Below)
Activity #3
Finally we have Motor Planning: Motor Planning is defined as the way we think, plan, and execute a movement. We can think of it on our own or hear a command to do the action which is what we are doing today. This adds a component of auditory processing to the list of skills we are working on. This activity requires multiple areas of the brain to work together which I love.
To set up for the activity:
Place a piece of tape on the floor for your child to stand on (Figure 2 Above).
Place 3-4 pieces of tape in columns to the right and left of middle around eye level.
Finally , write numbers, letters, colors on the tape (Figure 3 Above).
To play the activity:
Have your child stand facing the tape with one hand behind their back (we are sneaking a little crossing midline into this activity too).
Call out the numbers, letters, or colors and have your child touch them with the tip of their finger. The faster you call the numbers the harder the game is. You can even increase the cognitive difficulty by calling out 2-3 numbers so you chid has to remember them as tap each one.
If you don’t want to make this game with painter’s tape you can grab a premade copy of the game here. This packet (see below) has several levels of difficulty making it great to use over time as skills develop.
Have Fun with Painter’s Tape!
Dr. Heather
*Dr. Heather, DPT (Pediatric Therapy Essentials, LLC) participates in the Amazon Associates Program. Should you choose to use these links, this channel may earn affiliate commissions at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
