Toddlers

• 1). Fill a small plastic bucket or cardboard box with colorful toys like building blocks. Encourage your toddler to empty the container, then put the toys back in.
  
  
• 2). Encourage your toddler to dress and undress large stuffed animals or large dolls. Cut out big ponchos or capes for large stuffed animals and dolls. Use large buttons or Velcro for closures.
  
  
• 3). Tape a large piece of thick paper to a table and provide big sturdy crayons or washable markers in primary colors. Encourage your toddler to draw or scribble. Pour some cornmeal in a large, shallow pan and allow your toddler to draw and scribble in the cornmeal if manipulating crayons or markers seems too daunting.
  
  
• 4
  Encourage toddlers to stack blocks.building block image by Vanessa van Rensburg from Fotolia.com
  
  Encourage your toddler to stack building blocks or put together puzzles with large, sturdy pieces.
  
  
• 5
  Modeling clay improves dexterity.child image by Aidairi from Fotolia.com
  
  Provide nontoxic modeling clay and encourage your toddler to roll it into balls, logs and any other shape imaginable.
  
  
• 6
  Building sand castles develops fine motor skillsbucket to play image by Ivonne Wierink from Fotolia.com
  
  Help your toddler build sand castles and make mud pies for outdoor activities.
  
  

Preschool Children

• 1
  Supervise your children when they use scissors.2 scissors image by Josef F Stuefer from Fotolia.com
  
  Draw large shapes on a piece of paper and encourage your preschool child to cut them out with child-safe scissors. Always supervise this activity.
  
  
• 2). Encourage your preschool child to start learning to tie his shoes, button large buttons and zip and unzip a garment.
  
  
• 3
  Writing and drawing on an easel helps develop good thumb movementsblackboard image by Renata Osinska from Fotolia.com
  
  Provide a black board or easel or paper-covered wall and encourage your preschool child to draw circles, horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines with first one hand, then the other. Writing and drawing in this position strengthens muscles and helps develop good thumb movements.