A great way to work on fine motor skills for little fingers is through weaving practice. As little fingers hold the end of the ribbon or laces, they are developing their pincer grasp which is crucial for writing and holding a pencil. Not only does weaving work on finger dexterity, but it also helps your tot practice patterns. Finally, weaving develops patience as they wait for the "finished product" and work their way across the rows. Weaving practice is easy to set up with just a few simple household items! 
Materials~
- Baking Cooling Rack, Sink Mat, Basket, etc (Basically anything with holes!)
- Ribbon
- If this is the first time to show them weaving, demonstrate to your tot how to weave the ribbons. Use vocabulary~ under/over or up/down to help them hear the pattern.
- Allow them to practice! It won't be perfect at first, but the more they practice the better it will look and the stronger their little fingers will be!
Once my son had practiced on our Cookie Cooling Rack, I had him try a basket with smaller holes and smaller ribbon to make it more difficult.
Extend the learning~
- Have children make a rainbow with the ribbons.
- Have children follow a pattern with the ribbons. (red, blue, red, blue, etc.)
- Use various widths of ribbon and tell your tot to place them largest to smallest according to their widths.
