Motor Skills Toys for Kids Australia

GRASP • TWIST • BUILD • BALANCE • MOVE

Fine & Gross Motor Skills Toys for Kids

Hands-on toys that give children plenty of opportunities to grasp, move, build and play.

Explore motor skills toys for kids including fine motor activities, grasping and twisting toys, hand-eye coordination games, balancing activities and larger movement-based play. Find hands-on resources for home, school and everyday learning.

TWO TYPES OF MOVEMENT

Fine Motor Skills or Gross Motor Skills?

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Fine Motor Skills Smaller hand and finger movements used when children grasp, pinch, twist, thread, build, draw, manipulate pieces or use tools.

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Gross Motor Skills Larger body movements used during activities such as throwing, catching, balancing, reaching, moving and active play.

LITTLE MOVEMENTS • LOTS OF PRACTICE

Explore Fine Motor Activities

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Grasp & Pinch Pick up, hold and manipulate smaller objects and pieces.

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Twist & Turn Screw, unscrew, rotate and connect pieces using the hands and fingers.

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Build & Stack Position, balance and connect pieces during construction and stacking play.

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Draw & Write Practise controlled hand movements through drawing, writing, tracing and creative activities.

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Plastic Toy Nuts & Bolts Large easy-to-hold pieces for twisting, matching, connecting and hands-on fine motor play.

TWIST • MATCH • CONNECT

Fine Motor Play Can Be Very Simple

Turning a nut onto a bolt asks children to hold one piece steady while manipulating another. Simple hands-on activities like these can be repeated while children experiment with colour, shape and matching.

HAND-EYE COORDINATION

Spin, Push, Pop & Position

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Spin Again Place colourful discs onto the corkscrew pole and watch them spin down to the base.

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Whirly Squigz Stick, hold and spin silicone shapes on smooth surfaces.

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Dimpl Digits Push and pop silicone bubbles while exploring numbers and tactile play.

BIGGER MOVEMENTS

Gross Motor Toys for Movement, Balance & Coordination

Gross motor activities involve more of the body. Throwing, catching, reaching, balancing and moving give children different physical challenges from the smaller hand movements used in fine motor play.

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Sensory Mats Textured floor mats that can be incorporated into balance and movement activities.

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2 in 1 Talking Ball Throw and return a soft interactive ball during active play.

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Outdoor & Active Explore more throwing, catching, coordination and active-play toys.

FINE MOTOR + LEARNING

Motor Skills Can Be Part of Learning Activities

Some educational resources combine physical manipulation with maths, sorting, matching, shapes or problem solving. Children work with real pieces while completing the learning activity.

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Early Math101 Geometry & Problem Solving Hands-on pegs and shape blocks combine maths activities with fine motor and hand-eye coordination.

CHOOSE FOR THE CHILD'S STAGE

Motor Activities Look Different at Different Ages

Younger children may explore larger objects through grasping, stacking, pushing and placing. Older children can move towards more detailed activities involving construction, writing tools, puzzles, coordination games and multi-step challenges.

SHOP BY AGE →

WHICH COLLECTION SHOULD I CHOOSE?

Motor Skills or Sensory Toys?

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Motor Skills Choose Motor Skills when the activity primarily involves grasping, manipulating, building, balancing, hand-eye coordination or body movement.

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Sensory Toys Choose Sensory Toys when the main feature is tactile, visual, oral or movement-based sensory input.

EXPLORE RELATED RESOURCES

More Hands-On Learning & Play

SENSORY TOYS LEARNING AIDS OUTDOOR & ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION

MOTOR SKILLS FAQ

Common Questions About Motor Skills Toys

What are fine motor skills?

Fine motor skills involve controlled movements of the hands and fingers. Children's activities can involve grasping, pinching, twisting, threading, manipulating objects, drawing, building and using tools.

What are gross motor skills?

Gross motor skills involve larger body movements. Children's play can include throwing, catching, balancing, reaching and other active movement.

What toys involve fine motor skills?

Examples include nuts and bolts, stacking toys, construction pieces, lacing activities, shape sorters, puzzles, peg activities and toys with parts that children push, turn, pinch or manipulate.

What toys involve gross motor skills?

Balls, balance activities, throwing and catching games, active play equipment and coordination games can all provide opportunities for larger body movements.

What is hand-eye coordination?

Hand-eye coordination involves using visual information while guiding the hands during an activity, such as placing, catching, building or manipulating an object.

Are motor skills toys only for children with additional needs?

No. Motor-based toys and activities can be enjoyed by children with a wide range of interests and abilities. Choose products according to the child's age, individual needs and the manufacturer's product information.

Motor Skills Toys from Teach Me Toys

Teach Me Toys is an Australian family-owned educational resource supplier supporting families, teachers, schools, childcare services and education organisations with hands-on learning resources.

SCHOOL & BULK ORDERS ABOUT TEACH ME TOYS

61 products