Why are Fine Motor Activities important? 

Fine motor activities are those that develop and strengthen the small muscles in your child’s fingers, thumb and hand. They are therefore imperative for learning to write, eat with a knife and fork, do zips/buttons on clothes and learnt to do shoe laces. 

One Fine Motor activity we have enjoyed this week has been Potato Printing. 

What do you need? 

• Potatoes!
• Paint
• Knife (adult to do this part only)
• Chopping board
• Paper

Step 1: 

Decide what shapes/letters you are going to make from your potato print. Cut them out carefully (adults only!) with a knife and ‘ta dar’ your very own Potato Printers are complete!

 Remember when doing letters they need to be ‘back to front’ as when you print them, they will print the other way round to what’s on the potato.  

Step 2.

Dab the potato with kitchen roll/ leave it to dry for a little bit, so that it’s easier to get the paint onto it.

Step 3: 

Either dip your Potato Printer into some paint, or we found the easiest way (less messy way!) is to use a paint brush and paint the potato printer. 

Step 4:

Have fun! Press the potato printers onto your paper or card and enjoy making new patterns and pictures.