Fine Friday - My magic approach to fine motor skills

We are all familiar with those moments when the children have been sitting still just a little too long and they begin to wriggle.

Then, of course, there are those times when you are trying to keep a line of kinders waiting patiently in line for a specialist teacher to arrive.

Let's not forget the constant battle for gaining student attention after an exciting break.

Finally, how many children do you have that struggle with fine motor skills? Or even gross motor skills?

While I have yet to start teaching full-time, my years of practical experience and volunteering have enabled me to discover my personal approach for these little every-day nuisances. It's a simple version of Simon Says.

Incy Wincy spider actions are perfect.

The first time I introduce this activity to a class, I say "copy me" and begin to make repetitive actions, waiting for them to follow before changing the action. To engage the students further I throw in phrases such as "I bet this one will trick you," "Let's see how fast we can go," or "do what I say and not what I do." That final command is perfect for learning body parts or right from left as I command the children to touch one thing, while doing something completely different myself. We all have a laugh at this, especially the mistakes, and it is all a bit of fun (suddenly you may find that students don't mind making mistakes and won't find it humiliating!).

In order to conclude this activity neatly and retain student attention, I conclude it with some slow hand actions and hands in lap. Upon reflection I realised something even better, why not use it to revise a previous lesson or introduce the next lesson first? For example, the students can try pointing north, turning to a partner, holding up fingers in answer to math problems, writing letters, or moving away to collect resources.

The Vulcan Solute may prove a challenge for older children.

This activity can be used to help focus kids, to get them moving, get the blood pumping again, and is such fun that the distracted students bring their attention to the front quickly. Using this during not-quite-home-time or lining up time, I have found that those active kinder boys suddenly stop shoving and whining about waiting and it can even be used as a warm up for P.E. class. It is also useful for transition times as it allows students to get the wriggles out of their systems before moving off (when the shoving commences) and the commands can easily flow into instructions for the transition such as "walk like a big, slow elephant to your desk," or "waddle to your groups to discuss your roles."

Have I mentioned it helps students focus? (Seriously, I love how little I hear "he pushed me!" while lining up now!)

I have heard that it is important for students to practice skills such as crossing their right arm to their left side and vise versa, but have yet to apply this activity to exploring such ideas. However, I have used it for fiddly finger movements, large movements that get the blood flowing, and interactive partner activities.

In the past, this has been a rather spontaneous activity for me. As such, the actions have been those which are fairly familiar to me or those suggested by the children. With some thought, these actions can be planned more specifically for an age-group or special needs. Even older children can struggle with more complex actions such as rubbing their belly while patting their heads. With some research into specific needs, alternative movements would probably add another layer. For example, the below video presents hand exercises for improving flexibility and movement (though I probably wouldn't do the third one with some students lest they injure themselves).

Finally, here are some further thoughts on movement in the classroom, how to do it, and why it should be done. Clever students he says? Oh yes, please!

Do you have any other ideas that could further build this activity to epic proportions?
How about a go-to activity of your own for the every-day moments?