Books to Build Muscles
Empower Simcoe’s Early Literacy Specialist recommends books to help build the muscles needed for cutting. These books offer a variety of activities that improve fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and creativity, supporting children to develop cutting skills through playful, age-appropriate stories.
Skill: Tapping, clapping, and finger isolation
Practice: While reading the story, children perform different hand actions when prompted. This will strengthen the small muscles of the hands.
Skill: Finger pointing and page turning
Practice: Have children peek-through pages, encouraging controlled finger movements and visual attention.
Skill: Hand and finger strength and pointing accuracy
Practice: Have children push the dots until they pop, strengthening finger and hand muscles.
Skill: Finger isolation and hand control
Practice: Have children press, tap, shake, and point on each page, developing precise finger movements.
Skill: Grip strength and finger dexterity
Practice: Have children lift the flaps, strengthening fingers and encouraging controlled hand movements.
Skill: Crossing the midline and action movements
Practice: Have children participate in the repetitive actions, encouraging coordinated movements of both hands and the whole body.
