If you walk through your local dollar store and come across some masking tape, I bet the first thing on your mind is not, “hey cool fine motor tool”. But whether you believe or not, masking tape can serve more purposes then for keeping our craft projects together! The act of pulling the tape from the roll, itself, if priceless! Were talking, using a thumbs up pincer grasp to hold the tape piece, and strengthening of that grasp through the resistance involved in pulling the ribbon from the roll. Not to mention elbow, and shoulder isolation involved in reaching outwards and pulling backwards to extend the length of the tape being pulled!
Fine motor benefits are just the tip of the iceberg! Depending on the color tape you have, you can color directly into it, and even make labels, and stickers for matching onto construction paper.
Below you see an example where white masking tape was used to practice cutting skills. once the bolded lines were drawn onto the tape, each line of different colors, the child pulled the tape with one hand, using a pincer grasp, while cutting the tape along the marked lines, using scissors with the opposite hand (talk about bilateral hand use and body awareness benefits!)
Just when you thought we were done, there’s more! The tape pieces that were cut, were then oriented onto matching colored rectangular spots on paper, with circles then drawn underneath them as wheels, for creating little “cars” and “trains”!
Is that Awesome or what?!!
Not only does it have fine motor and visual motor benefits, it has regulating effects as well! Many children with sensory regulation difficulties tend to require activities that are externally structured in order to promote internal organization and regulation. Activities such as this , with a clear beginning, middle, and end provide that external structure. Not to mention proprioceptive input via resistance of pulling tape, serving as more contributors to increased self regulation! Talk about an all encompassing activity!
So the next time you pass a roll of masking tape in the store, don’t just pass by and think, “eh, just tape”. Pick it up and remember think again🤔 🤔🙂!
