by Nan Keltie

Created on: September 21, 2008   Last Updated: July 25, 2009

She was bent over her wriggling two-year-old while he struggled to zip up his jacket. While it would have been much quicker - and easier - to do it for him, this mom was patiently waiting. He was determined to do it alone, and she was smart enough to let him try. Some day soon, he'd be able to zip it on his own. One way or the other, he was one step closer today than if Mom had done it for him.

So much of what we do in life involves those fine motor-skills associated with hands and fingers. As you help your toddler develop these muscles, you are not only preparing him or her for school, you're giving your child a head start on life itself. Independent learning breeds confidence, and confidence breeds a healthy self image. What better way to prepare your child for success as an adult?

Listed below are just a few of the many games and activities that help develop the smaller muscles found in the hands and fingers. Always remember to interact with your child in a pressure-free environment. If your toddler attempts an activity and becomes frustrated due to failure, it's time to put it away and take a well-deserved break.

Draw and Color It
What is it about colorful pencils, crayons, paint and markers? They have a magnetic appeal for youngsters, and we should take advantage of that. Simple art starts with straight lines, which are fairly easy for young hands to manage. Then, with a few connecting lines, they become houses, fences and trees. Later, circular movements become faces, balls, wheels, etc. While finger paints are messy, there's great joy in slathering vivid colors on white paper! Handling all these "art tools" helps develop little fingers for other skills which come later, like writing his or her name.

Cut and Paste It
Demonstrate how scissors work and explain a few simple safety rules. Lay out several colorful pieces of paper that you've cut into squares, circles, triangles and rectangles. If your child is interested, let him or her try handling the scissors while you are close by. Now get out the glue and design a colorful collage or a house with cars, trees and people. Working with glue sticks and/or paste is a bit messy, but it also works those fine muscles in the fingers and hands.

Stack It, Build It
Those muscles are also developed as your children connect or stack plastic and wooden blocks. Building a log cabin or house from toy logs develops creative design. Important hand-eye coordination is being developed, but your child thinks it's all

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