Lesson 3 - Precision Grip & Awareness
Foundation Skills Through Play
•Nursery
•Fine Motor Skills
•Start Planning Better PE Lessons
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What's included
- Complete activity instructions & timing
- Teaching tips & differentiation strategies
- Assessment guidance & success criteria
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How can we use our hands and fingers like clever tools to pick up different objects?
Learning Objectives
- Develop precision grip and fine motor control through varied grasping activities
- Improve spatial awareness and negotiation skills in movement games
- Learn basic attack and defence strategies in appropriate tagging games
Key Outcomes
- Children will demonstrate improved pincer grip when handling small objects
- Children will show understanding of personal space during movement activities
- Children will explain one effect of physical activity on their body
Equipment & Resources Required
Pre-sorted into pairs for easy distribution
Alternative: Fabric strips, ribbons, or scarves
One colour per team at start, matching sets 20m away
Alternative: Coloured bean bags or markers
Placed in hoop 20m from children
Alternative: Hair bands or scrunchies
One per pair of children
Alternative: Yoghurt pots or small containers
In hoop 20m away, check for allergies
Alternative: Foam cubes or soft blocks
One per pair, check for safety
Alternative: Tweezers or tongs
Pile placed 20m from starting position
Alternative: Jenga blocks or wooden cubes
One per pair of children
Alternative: Clothespins or clips
Mark collection points for activities
Alternative: Chalk circles or rope circles
Key Vocabulary
Using thumb and finger together like tweezers to pick up small objects
When something is stretched tight like a rubber band
Moving carefully around others without bumping or colliding
A fabric strip tucked into clothing that others try to pull out in games
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic gross motor movement skills
- Understanding of simple instructions
- Awareness of personal space
Current Skills
- Precision gripping with thumb and fingers
- Coordinated movement whilst carrying objects
- Basic tagging game strategies
Next Steps
- More complex fine motor manipulation tasks
- Team-based coordination activities
- Introduction to simple competitive games
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Emphasise precision over speed in all fine motor activities
- Connect physical activity to body awareness and health understanding
- Foster cooperative learning through partner and team challenges
- Celebrate effort and improvement alongside achievement
- Reinforce safety rules through consistent positive reinforcement
- Use multi-sensory approaches to support diverse learning needs
- Build confidence through progressive skill development
Common Misconceptions
- Children thinking speed is more important than control in fine motor tasks - correction: 'Slow and careful wins!'
- Believing tag games are about being rough - correction: 'Gentle butterfly touches only!'
- Assuming only winning matters in team activities - correction: 'Learning and helping teammates is the real victory!'
- Not understanding how exercise affects the body - correction: 'Feel your heart working hard to help your muscles!'
- Thinking fine motor skills aren't important for sports - correction: 'Athletes need steady hands for catching, throwing, and balance!'
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Shorter activity bursts with frequent changes, clear physical boundaries, regular movement breaks between fine motor tasks
dyspraxia
- Larger equipment for easier manipulation, extra practice time, step-by-step movement breakdowns with visual cues
autism spectrum
- Clear visual schedule of stations, quiet break space available, consistent routines and predictable transitions
visual impairment
- Use brightly coloured equipment, provide verbal descriptions of demonstrations, buddy system for station navigation
hearing impairment
- Visual demonstrations with exaggerated movements, written instruction cards at stations, hand signals for transitions
physical disability
- Adapted tools for gripping (larger pegs, modified forks), seated versions of activities, reduced distances for collection games
Cross-Curricular Links
Science
Understanding body changes during exercise, exploring tension in elastic materials, investigating balance in tower building
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Central location during warm-up for visibility, circulate between stations during activities, corner position during tag games
Observation Focus
Fine motor grip development, spatial awareness during movement, cooperative play and sportsmanship
Intervention Points
Step in if children struggling with fine motor tasks, ensure safety rules followed during tag games, support positive team dynamics
Demonstration Notes
Show exaggerated fine motor grips for clear visibility, demonstrate safe running and tagging techniques, model positive encouragement
Verbal Cues
- •'Pincer grip like tweezers!'
- •'Gentle touches in tag games!'
- •'Watch where you're running!'
- •'Help your teammate succeed!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Large open area minimum 15m x 20m for movement activities, clear pathways between stations
Surface Check
Clean, dry, non-slip surface free from small objects that could create choking hazards
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Check elastic bands for tears or weakness before use
- •Ensure marshmallows are appropriate size (no choking hazard)
- •Verify building blocks have no sharp edges or splinters
- •Check pegs open and close smoothly without pinching
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Collision during tag games and relay races
- •Choking hazard from small objects like marshmallows
- •Elastic band snapping and potential eye injury
- •Falls during running activities
Risk Mitigation
- •Clear boundaries established for all movement activities
- •Adult supervision at each fine motor station
- •Proper spacing between children during activities
- •Food allergy check before marshmallow activity
- •Gentle tagging rules enforced throughout
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position for visibility of all three stations during rotations
- •Close monitoring during elastic band activities
- •Oversight of safe running techniques in relay races
Emergency Procedures
Stop all activity immediately, assess situation, provide appropriate first aid, contact emergency services if required