A Montessori Superpower: Fine Motor Skill Development

How learning with Montessori materials helps counteract the growing trend of fine motor skill decline among young children 

Research has identified a growing concern among educators and parents about an overall decline in fine motor skills among young children. A recent article in National Geographic  cited an Education Week survey where 77% of educators reported that their younger students were having greater difficulty with handling pencils, pens, and scissors and 69% reported that their students had greater difficulty tying their shoes compared to five years ago.

Educators across the country are concerned by the general decline in children’s fine motor skills, because these abilities - while seemingly basic - are actually essential to children's overall development, growth, and well being. Researchers attribute the weakening of fine motor development to a number of factors, fueled by the conditions of the pandemic, like increased screen time and less outdoor play.

Maria Montessori understood the deep-rooted connection between the physical and cognitive development of children. She famously said: 

“The child gives us a beautiful lesson – that in order to 

form and maintain our intelligence, we must use our 

hands.”

In the Montessori Early Childhood program, students learn from tactile materials intentionally designed to support the development of strong fine motor skills. There are a number of ways that the materials and lessons support this development at each age level. 

Twos: Precision and Coordination 

In the Twos Program, children are practicing refining their hand and finger control and working to become more intentional with their actions.  Examples of Montessori fine motor works in the Twos room are:

Pouring Work

By learning to pour liquid or small objects carefully from one vessel to another, two year olds are practicing their precision of movement and hand-eye coordination, as they carefully hold one jar and learn to tip it enough that the contents can flow out, but not so much that it spills.

Spooning Work

By using a spoon to move small beads from bowl to another, students learn to control their hand movement, wrist rotation, and precision as they carefully deliver the bead into the other bowl without so much force that it bounces out.

Spreading Soft Food 

By spreading jam on a cracker, students practice precision and control. A bonus of this beloved Practical Life work is that helps children develop the real-world skill of making themself a snack.

Threes & Fours: Dexterity and Independence 

In the first two years in a Montessori mixed age classroom, three and four year olds are building up their dexterity and independence. Their ability to work with materials becomes much more complex and refined. A few example of materials that support the fine motor development of three and four year olds are: 

Button or Zip Work

By learning to fasten buttons or zip a zipper on a frame, students are practicing the small and specific movements that these every day tasks require. A bonus of this activity is that it builds autonomy as children can apply these skills every day when getting themselves dressed!

Tweezing Work

By using tweezers to pick up small objects and move them from one bowl to another, students are building the small muscles in their hands and fingers and learning to sustain both their grip and concentration.

Sandpaper Letters

The Sandpaper Letters are a great material for kinesthetic learners who remember information through doing. By literally tracing the rough sandpaper with their fingers, students get familiar with the shapes of letters through small motor movements and hand-eye coordination – both of which are essential for writing. 

The Pink Tower

An iconic Montessori work, the Pink Tower supports the development of many essential skills. In order to stack the tower correctly, children need to use their hand-eye coordination, their ability to grasp small objects, and call on their ability to identify a sequence in order to stack the blocks from largest to smallest.

Kindergarten: Challenge and Mastery

By the Kindergarten year, children have acquired many fine motor skills to support their rapidly expanding thinking and have the opportunity to continue the development of their skills through mastery of more complex materials. A few examples of works that support fine motor skill development are: 

Binomial Cube

Another iconic Montessori work, the Binomial Cube consists of eight wooden blocks of different sizes that fit together in a specific way. While it builds the dexterity and fine motor skills of little hands, it also requires logical thinking and introduces algebraic concepts.

Complex Sewing Work

While sewing work is typically introduced before the Kindergarten year, Kindergarten students are able to sew with more precision and complexity than their younger peers. Sewing requires mastery of small muscle movements, control and precision while also asking children to problem solve and be creative.

World Map Puzzle

The Montessori Puzzle Maps allow children to visualize the world and explore the physical relationship between countries with their hands. The puzzle pieces require careful placement, calling on children’s dexterity and fine motor skills. For added complexity, Kindergarten students are challenged to create their own world maps through tracing and coloring in the pieces on a large paper.