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CITE: Child development-guide.com

When a young child is given manipulative toys, this helps his fine motor skills develop quicker. Fine motor skills refer to the coordination of small muscle movements in the fingers, for example, in coordination with the eyes. The term dexterity is used when coordination and motor skills involving the hands and fingers are referred to.

Infants are not born with fine motor skills but they quickly develop them particularly if someone routinely works and interacts with them and gives them the proper toys to play with.

Early on, babies start grabbing at objects. This is a primitive gesture. As time passes, babies start to be more exact in their activities and when this happens good eye-hand coordination is required.

When a human uses small muscles that control the fingers, hands and thumbs this is considered a fine motor skill. If a person does not have fine motor skills he won’t be able to write, button his clothing or draw.

When a baby gets older, he becomes more capable of doing tasks that require the use of both hands. When you give your child toys that encourage grabbing, reaching and inserting pieces into one another this helps the child hone his fine motor skills. Fine motor skills usually develop to such a degree that a child can model clay, draw and learn to sculpt.

When a child is given a manipulative toy this helps him develop his fine motor skills. Handling a manipulative toy requires that the child use his hands and eyes.  As a result, this type of toys encourages the development of fine motor skills because the child has to control his hands and finger muscles.

A puzzle, is, for example, a manipulative toy and it is self-correcting which means if the child doesn’t put the right piece in the right place it doesn’t work. The child must figure it out on his own and generally does.

Another excellent example of a manipulative toy is Play Doh, which can be rolled, squeezed, pounded and manipulated. Handling Play Doh strengthens the child’s fingers and hands.

Eventually a child becomes so competent that he can dress himself, button his clothes, use a zipper and tie his shoe strings. And then he moves on to scribbling, painting, printing and writing in cursive. Encouraging your child to draw is a wonderful way to improve his fine motor skills.

If you child is just starting to use draw, give her 3-D tetrahedral shaped crayons because they are designed for her hand size and are easier to use, giving her more control. Buy primer pencils for your young child because they are thick and easier for a little kid to handle.

MY TAKE:

Manipulative toys do not have to be some expensive item bought at the toy store. Give your child pots and pans to play with or a nest of plastic bowls. Children love playing with measuring spoons and cups and blocks. Kids have loved blocks since the beginning of time and that has not changed. They can stack them and then, of course, knock them over with great glee.

Play with your children. Talk to them. Tell them the names of the objects. Bang the pots with a spoon. Make loud noises. Feel different textures and discuss what you are feeling. The best gift a parent can give their young child is their time and attention. Encourage your child to be creative and to investigate his surroundings, within reason.