Games That Parents Can Play With Kids To Develop Motor Skills

THE learning outcomes of the following games are important for motor development and help in the fine-tuning of eye/hand co-ordination. It also contributes to finger strength. Parents can read the following rhymes to toddlers and young children while the children respond with finger movements.

My Fingers

This is my thumb (child holds it up)
This is my forefinger (child holds it up)
This is my middle finger (child holds it up)
This is my ring finger (child holds it up)
This is my little finger (child holds it up)

Five Little Fingers

This game teaches good traffic behaviour in addition to developing motor co-ordination.

Five little fingers and a street to be crossed,
One didn’t look and he was tossed.
Four little fingers walked straight across,
One didn’t look right again and he landed in the moss.
Three little fingers kept looking both ways,
One did not and it was his last day.
Two little fingers walked across fast,
One of them ran, and it was his last day.
One little finger crossed at the traffic light,
He looked right-left-right,
And he was okay.

Finger Rhyme

Open them, shut them,
Open them, shut them.
Give a little clap.
Open them, shut them,
Open them, shut them,
Lay them in your lap.

(Use hand gestures)

Ten Little Soldiers

Ten little soldiers stand up straight,
(hold both hands up, fingers straight)
Ten little soldiers make a gate,
(intertwine fingertips)
Ten little soldiers make a ring,
(form a circle with fingers)
(bend all the fingers)
(wiggle all fingers)
(hide hands behind your back)

The following activities assist the development of small muscles for better eye movement and to improve side vision – an important aid to road safety. If children are unable to focus on objects outside their immediate area of vision (tunnel vision), this could be problematic. They will be unable to see vehicles outside their immediate area of sight.

Pendulum

Fasten an object such as a piece of chalk, sponge or ball to the end of a long piece of string. Allow the object to swing slowly in front of a class or group. Children should follow the movement of the object with their eyes without moving their heads.

The Tick-Tock Clock

The child sits on the floor and listens to the following rhyme while doing the appropriate movement. They should move their eyes only while keeping their head still. The parent demonstrates the movements by flashing a torch on the ceiling.

Tick
(move the torch from far left to far right)
Tock
(and back again)
Something’s hiding in the clock
(rhythmic left-right movements)
A thing that makes a ticking sound,
And help the hands go round and round
(circular movements with torch)
A thing that can’t be very tall
To fit inside a place that small,
Tick
(move the torch from far left to far right)
(and back again)
Something’s hiding in the clock
(rhythmic left-right movements)

The following help in the development of eye and foot coordination. This is important as lack of agility and sure-footedness may cause the child to stumble and fall in front of oncoming vehicles.

Rope Walk

The rope-walk teaches balance and eye/ foot co-ordination.

Place a rope on the floor, or draw a large shape on the ground using chalk. Walk forward, heel-to-toe, on the rope or shape. Walk forward on tip-toe on the rope or shape. Walk forward with giant steps on the rope or shape. Walk sideways on the rope or shape. Walk backwards on the rope or shape. Walk a cross-over step, without stepping on the rope. Alternate with the left foot to the right side of the rope and then with right foot to the left side of the rope.

Place a rope in a looped pattern on the ground. Let your child step in the loops, without touching the rope.

Snake

Gently wriggle a rope back and forth on the floor or ground. Ask your child to jump over it without touching the "snake".

Kicking Game

Draw a circle or several circles on the ground and let your child stand about five metres away. If you are using more than one circle you can number the circles. If the child kicks a beanbag or paper ball into a circle he or she scores that number.

Clever Toes

Children sit on a chair and remove their shoes and socks. They place their socks in front of their feet. Without moving their heels from the floor, they extend the toes to grasp the sock. This is done one foot at a time. Keep on until the socks are completely under their feet.

Place small objects such as pencils, pegs or pebbles on the floor. Children are then told to pick up the objects with their toes and place them in a box.

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