This Fine Motor Paper Clip Math idea is a fine motor math activity that makes for a great busy bag or calm down time activity. We actually have several paper clip activities here on The OT Toolbox because you can target so many fine motor skills with this simple item. It’s perfect for indoor playtime and hands-on learning. Not only that, but it is a great way to work on fine motor skills like finger and thumb opposition. Plus, manipulating paper clips helps with a neat pincer grasp, which is needed for the dexterity of manipulating small objects.
Fine Motor Paper Clip Math
I also love to use paperclips in math activities because you are targeting the fine motor skills needed for a functional pencil grasp and other tasks like stringing beads, zip/unzip, button/unbutton, and various in-hand manipulation skills.
An open thumb web space is a skill is needed for manipulating items like a pencil or crayon, shoe laces, zippers, buttons, and small objects with an open web space.
Often times, we see kids who have their thumb squashed up against their fingers and the side of their palm when they are writing or manipulating items. This opposition fine motor activity is a fun way to work on opening up the web space for improved dexterity.
Add this activity to our list of games with paper clips that support skill building!
Full disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this post.
You’ll need just a two items for this activity:
I love how the two sets linked above (both affiliate links) are all colors of the rainbow. Even better for color matching and color recognition for preschoolers!
So, this activity is completely simple to do; Spread out the paper clips and ask your child to match them up to the craft sticks.
We worked on a few learning activities with this:
- Add the number of paper clips.
- Add the total number of paper clips on two craft sticks.
- Subtract the difference of the number of paper clips on two craft sticks.
- One to one correspondence
- More than/less than
- Work on color matching and color recognition
- Work on fine motor skills.
- Teach base ten concepts by stringing paper clips together.
Thumb Opposition Fine Motor Activity
Using the Foam Craft Sticks makes this activity a real workout for the fingers. You could use wooden craft sticks that provide more support and are easier to manage.
But, to really challenge the fine motor skills, the foam craft sticks are the thing to use! They are a little wiggly and require stability of the thenar muscles (muscles of the thumb) to hold the thumb in place as the fingers and the tip of the thumb place the paper clip on the craft stick.
When opposing, the thumb’s thenar muscles work to oppose the pointer finger during functional tasks. This is needed for advancing and positioning a pencil when writing, managing a button with ease, and pulling a zipper. With a closed thumb web space and lateral pinch of the thumb versus true opposition, a child will fumble.
When doing this opposition activity with your child, be sure to verbally prompt them to attend to the bend thumb IP joint.
This is such an easy way to learn and play indoors. Looking for more indoor play ideas?
More fine motor activities you will love:
- Hand Dominance and Fine Motor with Scooping and Pouring
- The Benefits of Coloring
- Clothes Pin Exercises and Pinch Grasp Types
- Homemade Pegboard Activities
- Creative Scissor Skills Practice
- Precision in Grasp and Release of Fine Motor Skills
- Chain Link Counters Color Sort
- Hand-Eye Coordination Heart Math
Working on fine motor skills, visual perception, visual motor skills, sensory tolerance, handwriting, or scissor skills? Our Fine Motor Kits cover all of these areas and more.
Check out the seasonal Fine Motor Kits that kids love:
Or, grab one of our themed Fine Motor Kits to target skills with fun themes:
- Frogs Fine Motor Kit
- Unicorns Fine Motor Kit
- Vehicles Fine Motor Kit
- Apple Fine Motor Kit
- Back to School Kit
- Sports Fine Motor Kit
- Outer Space Fine Motor Kit
- Fairytale Fine Motor Kit
- Plus more in our shop!
Want access to all of these kits…and more being added each month? Join The OT Toolbox Member’s Club!
Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.
