Fine motor activities
& early learning
Program, resources, workshops & OT services
my Fantastic Fingers®
Free Activity Demonstrations from the Fantastic Fingers® Fine Motor Program - includes numeracy & literacy early learning activities
Let's Go - Track 9
This little story introduces the Fantastic Fingers® characters Tricky Thumb, Patty Pointer, Mickey Middle, Roly Ring & Lulu Little. It teaches the finger names for holding the pencil in a good grip.
Use this video with my free illustrated story called Let's Go - Learn Good Pencil Grip.
Also refer to pp 44-45, pp 75-76 (Teaching Good Pencil Grip) and pp 136-137 (Hand Templates) of the book.
Let's Drive the Pencil Car - Track 9
In this video (words below), the dog Tricky Thumb shows children how to hold their pencil well & how to do a prewriting warm-up exercise that develops coordinated finger movements for neat & fast handwriting (it takes practice!).
Let's Drive the Pencil Car - Ingrid C. King ©
Tricky Thumb & Patty Pointer play 'I Spy'
Jump on the Pencil Car, ready to fly
Mickey Middle slips behind for a ride
While Ring & Little Rascals go & hide
Ring & Little Rascals go & hide
One, two, three
Let's drive the Pencil Car
Let's drive it nice & far
Let's go, let's go, let's go (repeat twice)
.
I Love Popcorn - Track 10
You might know this song but the actions are new. Research from Berninger & Rutberg (1992) shows us that children who can touch their thumb to each finger tip in sequence are ready to control a pencil & start learning to write letters & numbers. Five year olds should be able to touch the thumb in one hand to each finger tip in turn & back to the thumb smoothly & evenly. Seven year olds should be able to do it with both hands together & their eyes shut!
Also see pp 46-49 of my book. There are some very important activities here & they should be repeated often until well mastered. Use the specified worksheets..
Finger Drum - Track 12
These actions are getting more challenging & that's why it's important to have worked through the earlier activities. Children need lots of practice to develop their fine motor coordination.
Refer to pp 54-57 of the book. The extension activities (not shown on this video) also teach number sequences, final sounds, CVC patterns & sentence making.
Fantastic Fingers® - Track 13
There are some really important activities in here for developing a dynamic pencil grip which means that the writing tool is controlled by small bending & stretching of the first three fingers (as opposed to the wrist or shoulder joint movement). The result is neat & speedy writing!
See pp 58-59 (activity & song sheets) & 56-57 (fortnightly program sheet & extension activity page). Also use the relevant worksheets provided.
Finger Tricks - Track 14
Finger Tricks is also a good prewriting warm-up & it will take some practice to get all the actions. This song & the activities develop in-hand manipulation skills which are important for controlling the writing tool.
Refer to pp 60-63 to teach the actions, associated games & extension activities (not shown in this video).
Tip-Top - Track 16
Children need lots of practice working from top to bottom & left to right. This lively action song links the concept of top to bottom to the rain falling & is followed by pencil & paper games to reinforce this & other prewriting skills.
See pp 68-70 & the worksheets on pp 156-187 of the book.
Activities to Improve Pencil Grip, Pencil Control & Prewriting Skills
Free Handout: Tips on Teaching Good Pencil Grip
The first two videos, a story & song, teach the finger names & how to hold the pencil in the tripod pencil grip. Download the story Let's Go Learn Good Pencil Grip & make a Pencil Car Licence (p 12)! See answers to frequently asked questions about pencil grip on p 13.
Four more videos with action songs & specific activities develop strength & coordination in the fingers to make writing & fine motor tasks easier.
The last video demonstrates prewriting activities & is used with the printable prewriting worksheets.
If you have bought the program you will be able to watch all the videos using your password & read the full instructions, including the numeracy & literacy extension learning activities.
'I found the children just love the little finger characters. The children pick up what I am saying very quickly when I ask them to “point with Patty Pointer” or “hide the two Rascals” It is easy for them to have a visual picture which they relate to well…in fact one of my clients has given them real personalities & made up little stories about them! Nikki, OT NZ
'Mummy & me danced around the house singing the Fantastic Fingers song over & over again. It was so much fun!' Jamie, age 6 South Africa
'Fantastic Fingers has made a huge difference to Ben’s pencil control & handwriting. His fingers are stronger & his neatness has improved massively.' Karyn, mother of Ben aged 7, Australia
'I love your work & my grandson Nathan who is four, loves it too.' Annette, teacher, Australia
'It helps me to get strong & beautiful & perfect fingers!' a 5 year old.
To receive 20 free printable prewriting worksheets: sign up for my monthly newsletter, The theme is the animals are invited to a party!
Contact me with your child's progress. I'd love to see pictures of their completed worksheets.
See below for how I explain to the children how Fantastic Fingers® will help them. It's important that they understand why & how to do the activities correctly.
