Summer Fine Motor Skills Task Boxes

Description

This fine motor task boxes set includes 5 engaging summer activities designed to help your students build fine motor skills while practicing academic concepts. Perfect for morning tubs, early finishers, centers, or busy boxes, this set of activities targets the development of fine motor skills in preschool and kindergarten students while also fostering independence and excitement about school. Designed to be completed independently, these fine motor activities build finger strength, dexterity, and coordination while giving you time to take care of some of the many other tasks that demand your attention each day!

These Summer Fine Motor Task Boxes Include:

This set includes ideas and printable materials for 5 fine motor activities. Each task is designed to fit into a standard plastic pencil box and includes a printable label, picture directions, and other materials (such as work mats or task cards).

The tasks in this set target preschool and kindergarten literacy and math concepts and have differentiation options to allow them to be used at the beginning or end of the school year.

The included summer activities are:

▶ Summer Cube Building
There are two versions of these snap cube building cards—one with labels and one with a simple sentence for each picture. Eight designs are included.

▶ Pattern Blocks Puzzles
The directions for these pattern blocks puzzles come in two versions—one where students simply build the puzzle and another where they also write a sentence using the picture label. This set includes eight puzzle templates.

▶ Pompom Activities
Children use tweezers to move pompoms in these two activities: one with number words and one with simple addition problems.

▶ Watermelon Playdough Activity
Students practice counting, addition, and/or subtraction while making watermelon seeds out of playdough.

▶ Spin and Cover
Students spin one of three spinners and place circular counters on the matching numbers on one of eight picture cards. Three spinners are included: numerals, ten frames, and addition problems.

How to Use These Fine Motor Activities:

Once you get your students started with these task boxes with some initial instructions, they will be up and running and ready for independence! These summer fine motor task boxes are perfect to grab during any of the times that you need students to be independent, engaged, and productive. Use these simple fine motor activities as morning tubs when students arrive in the classroom (a soft start is a great way to let students gently adjust to the school day) or as early finishers for children who finish their work quickly. These fine motor activities are also useful during center time, indoor recess, or any time students need a quiet break to re-focus.

To prepare these Summer Fine Motor Task Boxes, print and laminate the activity label and instructions as well as the printable activity materials. Attach the activity label to the outside of the box and the illustrated instruction card inside the lid. (You can use Velcro to attach the labels if you want to have the flexibility to easily switch activities throughout the year!) Place all listed materials inside the box. Each activity requires the inclusion of other classroom items such as manipulatives or basic classroom supplies (listed below).

Once assembled, these fine motor activities stack easily on a shelf. Teach your students what procedures you would like them to follow for use and clean up. Some teachers allow students to come into the classroom and quietly select any of the morning tubs, while others prefer a check-in/out system that encourages children to cycle through the activities. Another option is to make a selection of task boxes available at each table and rotate them as the week goes on. This option can cut down on transition time and allow students to quickly choose an early finisher or center activity.

What Teachers Are Saying:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “GREAT addition to my end of the year morning tubs and workstations. The kiddos LOVE the activities and always want more time to play.” –Sandra C.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “These centers are so cute and appealing to kids! I love that there are activities for many different levels, and also the color and b/w options for all the activities! Thanks! -Tammi V.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “LOVE! the fine motor task boxes. These were my independent centers while my assistant and I both pulled small groups in a pre-k classroom. I loved how the visual instructions are provided so that after the students have been shown how to complete the activities, they can work independently without interrupting the group with the teachers. The seller also does a great job of keeping activities similar but changing themes within the sets, so that reteaching doesn’t have to occur with each theme change out which is super nice! Thank you for an AWESOME resource. –Ashley H.

Recommended Materials List (not included in purchase):

copy paper, card stock, laminator/film
connecting cubes (30+)
3/4” circular transparent counters
pattern blocks
craft pompoms
playdough
child’s tweezers
clear spinner OR pencil and paperclip

Why are fine motor skills important?

Research shows that well-developed fine motor skills in young children are a predictor of academic success. It makes sense that children with dexterity and hand strength would be more successful in a classroom that requires writing and drawing, but researchers have found that the connection goes beyond that. Through a series of studies using longitudinal data that tracked students from kindergarten through eighth grade, researchers determined that strong fine motor skills in the early years of life help form connections in the brain that lead to greater academic achievement throughout the school years. Unfortunately, advances in technology have led many families away from traditional activities that promote fine motor development. The time that many children spend using computers, tablets, and smartphones is time that they are not spending building, drawing, and manipulating objects in the world around them. Many children are beginning school with a deficit of motor skills, both gross and fine. It is important for schools to give children many opportunities to build those skills.

If you have any questions, email susan@myhappyplaceteaching.com or use the contact form on this site.

Thank you for shopping!

Susan Jennings (My Happy Place)

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Permission to copy for single classroom use only.

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