If you are looking for a quick at home fine motor skill activity, the post-it note grab is perfect for you. I have seen activities similar to this on Busytoddler.com and decided to give this a try.
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Post-It Note Set-up
The great thing about this activity is it can be done anywhere! Since this is a no mess and an easy activity, it is right up my alley.
When you are setting up an activity, take in mind the overall outcome you wish to see. I am wanting to teach my daughter to play independently while I cook or clean. At her age, she was around 15 months at this time, she still wants to feel close to me while she plays.
I set this activity up on our foyer door. This way my toddler can see me in the living room or kitchen. This area had enough space for her to sit, stand and throw most of the post-it notes around.
Your child’s age and attention span will help determine how many post-it notes you should put up. I have noticed my daughter gets slightly overwhelmed if there are too many options for a NEW activity. I start out with a small number of items and we work our way up.
Gross & Fine Motor Skills
I would say my toddler is at an age of being very destructive, but she is all the time. She gets it honest.
I wanted to encourage grasping and pincer grip instead of the grab or raking motion. She has that skill down pat!
At first, she wanted to grab the post-it notes and throw them. I decided to press them firmly to the door. This encouraged her to use a pinching motion instead of grabbing. She caught on very quickly. Later, I saw her pinching the post-it notes together using her new skill.
The benefit of the post-it note activity is it can help with all motor skills and all age groups.
For babies just learning to stand, place a few post-it notes just out of reach on a wall or door. This process will help your baby learn to move from a sitting position, to on their knees, to standing.
Toddlers are full of energy, they love running, jumping and throwing. To help burn off a bit of the energy indoors, place post-it notes at different height levels or adjacent walls. Great gross motor skill development and exercise.
Conclusion
Activities for babies and toddlers do not have to be expensive, messy or very time consuming. Every parent can get caught up in trying to have the best educational toys for their child’s development, when they already have simple everyday items at home. Just remember, children can have more fun with a box a toy came in than the toy itself.