Blogging A to Z: Hand-Eye Coordination
Reading aloud is all about snuggles. But when you get to include practicing fine motor control while snuggling, that’s even better! When kids are young – think before Kindergarten you have to think of books as toys. Kids are learning about the world around them and that includes how books work.
Books require you to read with your eyes, hold the book with your hands, move the pages with your fingers, which uses muscles in the arms and your brain has to do all those things together! That takes practice! And hand-eye coordination is important for so many things like catching a ball, but also writing a note, using a pair of scissors, and typing on a computer.
Give kids a chance to use those little hands. Ask questions the encourage kids to look at the illustrations or even the words on the page. Have kids point out things they notice, allow little ones to turn the pages. I think my favorite is when you’re trying to read a story and all the toddler wants to do is turn the pages over and over again. That’s great! They’re strengthening their muscles and their hand-eye coordination by grasping a page and turning it.
So the next time your little one is playing with the books on the shelf, remember books are toys and that’s exactly what they’re supposed to be doing! Encourage them to tell you a story as they flip through those pages and maybe later pull out some chunky crayons to draw a picture too.
Today’s list is a combination of board books and picture book formats that encourage kids to turn the page to see what happens next! You could also look into lift-the-flap books and other types of books that have textures to encourage babies to explore.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Book List #8 – Hand-Eye Coordination
- Animalphabet by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Sharon King-Chai
An animal alphabet guessing game that kids will love! - Another by Christian Robinson
A wordless picture book about a young girl on an unexpected journey! - A Bear Is a Bear (Except When He’s Not) by Karl Newson, illustrated by Anuska Allepuz
Bear wakes up a little too early from hibernation and gets very confused as to what he is! - A Bear’s Year by Kathy Duval, illustrated by Gerry Turley
Follow a mother bear and her cubs through the seasons in this beautiful book. - By the Light of the Moon by Frann Preston-Gannon
With bright, bold illustrations, this is an adorable story showing kids that all voices matter, even the smallest. - Dot, Stripe, Squiggle by Sarah Tuttle, illustrator by Miriam Nerlove
Colors and patterns abound in this board book introducing unqiue sea life. - The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar, illustrated by Alea Marley
A diverse book about colors and feelings, this is a great conversation starter. - This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
One of those books that’s great for kids AND adults! You’ve got to pay attention to the illustrations. - This Little Pup by Laura J. Bryant
A counting and colors concept book that follows a cute little pup. - Welcome to Your World by Smriti Prasadam-Halls, illustrated by Jaime Kim
A beautifully illustrated, sweet story about welcoming a new baby into the world. - Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox, illustrated by Judy Horacek
A crowd favorite – this is a must-have for your personal library! Kids love it! - Who?: A Celebration of Babies by Robie Harris, illustrated by Natascha Rosenberg
A perfect board book for little ones who are ready to explore!
If you’re interested in purchasing any of the titles on this list, please use my affiliate link for Bookshop.org. When you purchase from this link, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.
For the month of April, I’ll be sharing early literacy tips and book lists as part of the Blogging A to Z Challenge. Learn about the importance of early literacy and ways to incorporate tips and tricks into your family’s daily routine. Developing language skills before kids head to school helps them to be ready to learn when they reach school-age. In addition to great content, you’ll also get a new book list for each letter, resulting in over 300 board book and picture book suggestions for your family to enjoy!
