In this blog post: Grab a set of 5 free spring fine motor activities perfect for building fine motor skills in preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten.
Building fine motor skills is essential for our youngest students. These skills will lay the foundation for writing!
But trying to add in one more thing to prep, organize, and find time in an already packed day for? It can feel impossible.
That’s why I created these FREE no prep spring fine motor activities. They hit all of those important fine motor skills, but with almost no work on your end. And they can easily be added into your centers, morning tubs, or early finisher activities.
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What are fine motor skills and why are they important?
Fine motor skills refer to someone’s ability to control the small muscles in their body. We usually associate these skills with writing, but there is so much more to it!
Fine motor skills include movements that utilize the small muscles in the hands and wrist like pinching, squeezing, twisting, and more.
Fine motor skills are important for things like:
- Brushing teeth
- Turning keys
- Buttoning and unbutting
- Using zippers
- Eating
- Opening and closing containers
- Turning the pages of a book when reading
- Cutting
- Gluing
- Writing
And so much more!
As you can see, we use fine motor skills in every aspect of our life, so it is essential that we build those muscles and coordination up.
Adding in simple yet fun activities like these free spring fine motor mats are an easy way to engage students in building up those important fine motor skills.
Free Spring Fine Motor Activities
These free spring fine motor activities were designed to be print and go. Each activity has 5 simple spring-themed mats to choose from.
You can add these spring fine motor mats into:
- Morning tubs
- Centers
- Fine motor stations
- Early finisher options
Just add some simple manipulatives that you most likely already have in your classroom. (You can find all of my favorite fine motor manipulatives in my Amazon storefront.)
Now let’s take a closer look at each of the free spring fine motor activities included in your pdf download!
Activity 1: Pom-Pom Mats
These fine motor pom-pom mats are always a hit with students. They love matching colorful pom-poms to the pictures!
To add in even more fine motor work, you can have students pick up the pom-poms using fine motor tweezers or tongs.
These spring pom-pom fine motor mats were designed to use with regular pom-poms, but if you print them two to a page, you can use mini pom-poms too!
Activity 2: Pony bead mats
Was anybody else obsessed with pony beads growing up? We added them to our hair. Made friendship bracelets. And they’re still a hit today – for good reason!
Pony beads are amazing for building fine motor skills! These tiny beads require students to pinch and hold as they match them to the pictures.
You would think this fine motor activity would get old, but my students BEG to do bead it activities all year long! This is always one of the first morning tubs chosen each day.
Activity 3: Playdough mats
There are two types of teachers – one who loves playdough and tries to incorporate it into any and everything, and one who won’t touch it with a ten foot pole.
I’m definitely type one! Playdough is so extremely versatile in the classroom, and it uses almost every fine motor skill – pinching, pulling, twisting, tapping, and more. That’s why I knew we needed playdough mats in these spring fine motor activities!
For these fine motor mats, students will roll playdough “snakes” and balls to match to the shapes on the picture. You can also challenge them to model the spring item using the dough!
Activity 4: Pattern block mats
Pattern block mats are great because students need to use their pincer muscles to pick up the shapes, but they also require students to identify each shape and it’s orientation.
For these free spring fine motor activities, students will match pattern blocks to the spring pictures. This is a little different than traditional pattern block mats because students aren’t making the entire picture out of shapes, but rather fitting them into an existing spring picture.
Activity 5: Popsicle stick mats
For this fine motor activity, you will need both regular popsicle sticks and mini popsicle sticks. I’ve had luck finding both of these at Walmart, or you can find them on Amazon.
Students will match the popsicle sticks to the mats to make the spring pictures. You can also challenge them to create their own pictures using popsicle sticks. Once they start, they won’t want to stop!
Grab your free spring fine motor mats here!
These free spring fine motor activities will engage your students in building those essential fine motor skills – and the best part is, they won’t even realize they’re learning! Ready to add these fine motor mats into your daily routine? Download them below.
TIP: Use a personal email address and NOT a school district email address. Emails with outside downloads are often blocked by them.
Do you love free stuff?
Spring Fine Motor Mats
These free spring fine motor mat activities are perfect for morning tubs, early finishers, or just for fun!
Fine Motor Activities for the Year
Are you looking for hands on, no prep fine motor activities for the year? The Fine Motor Activities for the Year includes print and go fine motor worksheets includes everything you need to build these skills all year long.
The fine motor activities include:
- Tracing
- Cutting
- Glueing
- Hole punch
- Stamping
- Fingerprinting
- Lacing
- Push pin poke
- Dot stickers
- Dot marker dab
- Cotton swab dab
The best thing about the Fine Motor Activities for the Year? They are truly no prep! Just print and grab a material you already have in the classroom – like markers, scissors, or glue. Don’t have a material? Items can be easily swapped out for something else.
How can I use these no prep fine motor activities?
- Create a Fine Motor Journal or Notebook – A cover for a fine motor journal is included, plus printing tips.
- Fine Motor Lessons – Use these fine motor worksheets as a follow up to your fine motor lessons or as intervention.
- Send Home to Families – A family or parent letter is included with tips for practicing fine motor skills, fine motor activities they can do at home, and how to fix common mistakes.
- Morning Work, Centers, or Small Group Fine Motor Activities
What are other teachers saying?
JUST WHAT I NEEDED! You’ve saved me hours of creating/googling/compiling fine motor activities for my students. Our school occupational therapist also loves that I’m reinforcing the skills my students are working on! Win-Win-Win!
Mia W.
This resource has a great variety of activities! The tips and notes about how to fix common errors that Natalie includes are super helpful and easy to follow.
Leah D.
Have questions or wondering if these will work for your students? As always, feel free to email me at [email protected].
Natalie Lynn
Did you miss the free spring fine motor activities above? Find there here!
