Fine motor toys for preschoolers.

Last Updated on December 4, 2024 by Sheryl Cooper

Inside: Favorite fine motor toys for preschoolers that are fun! We love using these in our classroom, but they are also perfect for home, too. Each of these toys strengthens the hands and fingers, getting them ready for writing!

I love classic toys.

Toys that don’t have all the bells and whistles.

Toys that help build skills while also allowing preschoolers to play.

That’s exactly why this collection of fine motor toys for preschoolers is one of my favorites. These would make great gifts any time of the year!

Favorite Fine Motor Toys for Preschoolers that are Fun!

Lacing Cards

Lacing cards build bilateral coordination skills. We also use these on our writing table for tracing!

Easy-Grip Jumbo Pegs Pegboard

We have several different brands of pegs and pegboards, and all are enjoyed by our children. We use them for sorting, counting, and patterning.

Bristle Blocks

We have enjoyed these for over a decade and they are sturdy! They have soft bristles that interlock when pushed together and stay attached until they are pulled apart. They come with wheels so many cars and trucks are built in the block corner!

Geometric Sorting Board

This is another activity that we have had for over a decade! It contains a set of four geometric shapes that can be stacked together according to the number of holes in the middle of each one. In addition to working the fine motor muscles, it is also a great activity for teaching shape, color, and pattern recognition.

Wedgits

Our 3 year olds love nesting these blocks because there is no wrong way to build! They are easy-to-grasp and encourage free-play designing. They introduce children to the spatial world of angles, color and matching.

Magnetic Puzzles

I first learned about these amazing puzzles in a workshop, and have been using them in our classroom ever since. Each puzzle comes with a magnetic wand that can be challenging and very rewarding! These puzzles help develop hand-eye coordination and visual perception.

Nuts and Bolts

These plastic pieces encourage children to explore shapes and colors while developing their fine motor skills.

Stack and Sort Cups

We have several different styles of stack and sort cups and all are enjoyed by our 3 year olds. This activity develops color-matching, size progression and counting, along with fine motor skills.

Pegs and Pegboards

This activity develops pattern and color recognition, spatial reasoning, categorization, and imaginative play.

Wood Slicing Food

We love placing fine motor activities in all areas of our classroom, and wooden play food is popular in our dramatics corner. The wood pieces are attached with velcro and can be “sliced” apart with the wooden knife that is included. There are many different types of these sets, but our favorite is the birthday cake (pictured above). We bring it out each time we are celebrating a birthday. Three year olds LOVE birthdays!

Play-Doh

Play-Doh is always a fun (and calm) fine motor activity. Add some tools and gadgets and let the imagination take over!

Do-a-Dots

These washable paint markers not only strengthen the hands and fingers, but are also great for developing hand-eye coordination and color recognition.