Classic Games to Develop Gross & Fine Motor Skills in Children 8 Years Old & Up

These games help hone motor skills, particularly dexterity and fine motor control. I have recommended all of these games for 8 years old and up. Many were marketed for younger children, which from my experience as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, I deemed completely unrealistic. A big clue that a game is not appropriate is the phrase “it’s not as easy as it looks” or the phrase “it’s more challenging than you’d think”.

These games, as well as my Family Games That Promote Motor Skills for Age 6 and Up, are suitable for adults. This can be validated by the ready supply of pictures of teens and adults playing these games!

Games in this hub:

Tip It

Jumpin Monkeys

Mouse Trap

Tiddly Winks

Jenga

Perfection

Operation

Twister Dance DVD

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:  2 to 4 players. 

AGE:  8 and up. 

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  Players must remove disks from the teetering tower without toppling the tower.  Players spin to determine what color disk they have to remove.  First player to remove 3 disks of the same color wins. 

AMAZON CUSTOMER RATING:  Limited data; 4 of 5 stars from 3 raters. 

SKILLS:  Fine control, steady hand, tool use. 

VERSIONS:  Cars Tip It.  Topple is very similar, and slightly easier.  

MODIFICATIONS:  For younger children, or children with less precise dexterity skills, could play until the first 3 to 5 disks of any color combination are collected.  Suitable to play alone to hone skills. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:  2 to 4 players. 

AGES:  8 and up. 

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  Each player has 4 monkeys and a catapult.  Players take turns launching their monkeys, trying to land them in the tree, and possibly knocking competitors’ monkeys off.  First to successfully get all of their monkeys in the tree wins. 

AMAZON CUSTOMER RATING:  4 ½ of 5 stars from 10 raters. 

SKILLS:  Manipulation and grading of the catapult. 

MODIFICATIONS:  Younger children could position closer to the tree, or toss the monkeys.  Suitable to play alone to hone skills. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:  2 to 4 players. 

AGES:  8 years old and up. 

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  Players roll the die, and collect cheese and pieces to build their mouse trap as they progress around the game board.  Once built, players try to capture opponents’ mice in their chain-reaction style mouse trap. 

AMAZON CUSTOMER RATING:  3 of 5 stars from 111 raters.  Chief complaint was that materials and construction are inferior compared to the game of raters’ childhoods.  Also, that the game was too complicated for 5 and year olds (manufacturers recommended the game for 6 and up).  Try to score a vintage version of the game from a thrift store or eBay. 

SKILLS:  Manipulation of mouse trap pieces and strategy in construction of the mouse trap. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:  2 to 4 players. 

AGES:  8 and up. 

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  This game was a popular English parlor game in the 1890s, and described as “easy to learn but difficult to master”.  Players use large disc to propel the small discs into the scoring tray.  First player to reach 250 points wins. 

AMAZON CUSTOMER RATING:  4 ½ of 5 stars by 9 raters. 

SKILLS:  Dexterity and grading of the large disc to propel small discs. 

MODIFICATIONS:  Suitable to play alone to hone skills. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:  1 or more players. 

AGES:  8 and up. 

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  54 rectangular blocks are stacked 3 wide, and 18 high.  Players take turns removing blocks and placing them on top of the stack.  Game over when the tower topples. 

AMAZON CUSTOMER RATING:  4.8 of 5 stars from 52 raters. 

SKILLS:  Steady hand in controlled movement of the blocks; strategy. 

VERSIONS:  Halloween, Holiday, NY Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Special Onyx Edition, Donkey Kong, Jenga Max. 

MODIFICATIONS:  Younger children can enjoy stacking the blocks.  Suitable to play alone to hone skills. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:  1 or more players. 

AGES:  8 and up. 

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  Board has 25 different geometric shapes.  Players take turns playing against a 60 second timer.  This game is very challenging.  I’ve never seen a player place all 25 pieces, or anywhere near 25 in 60 seconds. 

AMAZON CUSTOMER RATING:  4 ½ of 5 stars from 49 raters. 

SKILLS:  Recognition of shape pieces and orientation to corresponding space in the board.  Quality and speed of in-hand manipulation of pieces for placement. 

VERSIONS:  Travel Game, Key Chain, 1975 Edition, 1998 Edition, 2003 Edition. 

MODIFICATIONS:  Play without timer.  Select the pieces for 1 or 2 rows, and play against the 60 second timer. 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 1 or more players.

AGES: 8 and up.

BRIEF OVERVIEW: The Hasbro version of the game is played as older versions with the patient requiring 12 surgeries to remove faulty parts. The Milton Bradley version is described as a “multi-sensory experience”. There are new textured parts to remove. Sound effects indicate what part to remove: toilet flush indicates “bad plumbing”. Players press the patient’s nose to learn if their intervention was a success.

AMAZON CUSTOMER RATING: 3 ½ of 5 stars by 96 raters. Chief complaint was inferior construction compared to the game of raters’ childhoods. Some felt the old loud buzzer made failure more fun.

SKILLS: Steady hand in manipulating surgical tool.

VERSIONS: SpongeBob, Shrek, Spiderman, Hulk.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:  1 to 4 players. 

AGES:  8 and up. 

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  Dance mat and DVD with 40 progressively more difficult and faster lessons.  Dance mode is without lesson prompts. 

AMAZON CUSTOMER RATING:  4 ½ of 5 stars from 19 raters. 

SKILLS:  Motor planning and coordination, balance, sequencing. 

VARIATIONS:  Twister Moves, Twister Moves Hannah Montana, Twister Moves High School Musical, Outdoor Scram. 

MODIFICATIONS:  Instructions for non-competitive play. 

My Game Review Hubs

Toys- Board Games for Children 3 to 8

Toys- Card and Dice Games for Children 3 to 8

Toys- Family Board Games for Children 8 and Up

Toys- Family Card and Dice Games for Children 8 and Up

Games That Promote Hand Skills for Ages 3 and 4

Games That Promote Hand Skills for Age 5 and Up

Family Games That Promote Motor Skills for Age 6 and Up

Family Games That Promote Motor Skills for Age 8 and Up

My Other Pediatric Topics

Interacting with Your Premature Infant:  Developmental Care in the NICU

Children’s Behavior- Sensory Regulation, A Different Perspective