Fine Motor Development Through Lacing

When you were a child, chances are you had strung beads into a string or else laced a lacing card. In fact, I can even picture the plastic lacing card I had used as a child to create a picture of a rocking horse. I would always contemplate on the yarn color I should use for it. It’s a memory so vivid until today.

Fine motor development takes lots of practice. It’s not easy to make a bow, for instance. I bet that as a child, you had to do it over and over again before you could pull it nice and tight so it wouldn’t disintegrate immediately. You might even have felt frustrated with the whole tying process, which is completely normal. The same goes for your little tot. By giving them opportunities to strengthen their small muscles, you will help them feel more confident in carrying out their daily activities and in trying new ones.

Three-year-olds have tiny hand and finger muscles that would develop strength and dexterity with repetitive activities. Creating lacing cards is perfect for enhancing eye-hand coordination and fine motor development. Your kids would show more interest if the cards you make match their personality and interests.

Lacing cards need to be made of thicker material such as cardboard or foam (usually sold in craft stores) as the base. Paste a picture of something your child loves, such as a racecar or a doll. You then take a paper punch and punch holes on your design about one or two inches apart. The holes can either outline the design or frame it. Using a piece of yarn or shoelace, start demonstrating lacing to your child. Tie an initial knot for your child to follow, then show him or her how to lace in and out and back and forth, all the while turning the picture around. Assist your child until he or she gets the hang of it. Be there to offer encouragement and praise for a job done well! Before you know it, your child will have learned how to tie his or her own shoes!