Fine motor skills equipment

[NicoleW]

I had my DO around today and she suggested that I look into a storage system (which I'm getting tomorrow) and also more equipment/toys to help develop and improve fine motor skills.

I have only 1 puzzle which isn't a peg one so I suppose maybe one or two peg puzzles.


What else can I get? I have a shape sorter, but I want to get a wooden one, anyone else know of things I can get (I'm getting a £300 grant in a couple of weeks) to help?

Also I want a reasonably priced child sized sofa

[nell57]

I've got some wooden threading fruit or cotton reels which is a favourite here. Or lacing cards which you could print and laminate yourself for a cheaper version:)

[NicoleW]

I like the fruit thing.

Will make myself some lacing cards tonight to test out on Hannah tomorrow :)

[NicoleW]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wooden-Spools-Empty-Cotton-Reels-Bag-60-Approx-/220966381264?pt=UK_Crafts_Children_s_Crafts_EH&hash=item33729f66d0



Bargain!

[leeloo1]

Large children's tweezers (like the ones Learning Resources make) are good. As are pegs on a washing line.

Anything that encourages a child to use their fingers to develop the muscles - so also squeezy, tactile balls, playdough etc.

:)

[green puppy]

I have...
puzzles
threading cards/reels/buttons/bricks
Tweezers
Tub of buttons
Little wind up toys
Pens/pencils etc...
Pegs
Containers with lids to lift up corners
Bags with zips/poppers/buttons/velcro etc...

We also make pictures with scrunched up paper, that little ones scrunch between their fingers.......... we also have plasters etc.. in our hospital role play box so they learn to open the little packets and so on....

[Wendybird]

An affordable children's sofa from an Ikea bedside table (£9)!

http://www.rainbowplayhouse.blogspot.com/2012/03/simple-childrens-sofa-from-ikea-bedside.html

Puzzles are cheap on ebay!
I'm in the process of making a bird / nest game with felt birds bought on ebay (easy enough to do yourself though or make from paper) glued to wood clothes pins which the kids will pin to a small wooden bowl with a matching colour.
Outside I have spray bottles with water in - kids use them to clean all surfaces and often spray each other.

[NicoleW]

Wow, I'm actually going to ikea tonight because I need a storage system :D



Unfortunately I don't have an outdoor area as it's used for the pooches, and I only have one room which is my living room for minding so there's only so much I can do with the space.


I have an old kitchen cupboard that I've turned into a bookcase just by taking the door off, I have another one I might get out and clean down and use that then just get some wicker baskets the right size to fit onto the shelves as a cheaper storage system?

[Wendybird]

I use Ikea baskets for my toy storage (car basket, duplo, playsilks, animals, instruments, etc). I have the bigger toys out on shelves as well, kids can choose what they want. I don't have much space either, so I rotate things in and out which is great for next steps and for keeping the play 'alive' as it were. When something hasn't been played with in a couple weeks or so it gets rotated out. Obviously some things always stay out (cars in this house). I am personally not a fan of the Trofast system generally - I think the bins are too big and encourages kids to dump stuff out and then just throw it back in any bin when it is time to put away. I'm sure it does work for lots of people though :)