How Vertical Surfaces Support Fine Motor Skill Development

When preschoolers hold a marker, paint brush or other instrument against a vertical surface, extra muscles in the wrist and hand are strengthened - muscles that don't get exercise when preschoolers write on a table or other horizontal surface. The tiny hand and wrist muscles work against gravity in a different way on vertical surfaces then they do when preschoolers write or draw on horizontal surfaces.

Write, Draw and Paint on the Wall

Preschoolers will enjoy a new way to explore with art materials and their muscles will exercise in a way that develops and improves fine motor skills.

1. Tape a large piece of paper on the wall. Use butcher block paper, large flip chart paper.

2. Give preschoolers markers or paint. (washable markers and paints are a great choice).

3. Tell preschoolers to only use the markers and paint on the paper.

4. Supervise close by to make sure that preschoolers keep their artwork on the paper.

Tip: A sliding glass door is a great surface to tape paper because markers clean up easily on glass.

Write and Draw on a Large Easel

An easel provides a great vertical surface for preschoolers to develop fine motor skills.

Encouraging Preschoolers to Use an Easel: To keep preschoolers interested in using an easel, change the materials that you place near the easel. Set out some of the following materials next to the easel:

Materials to Use with an Easel:

Paint and Paint Brushes

Markers

Crayons

Paint with Feathers as the Brush

Chunky Markers

Paint and Cotton Swabs for Brushes

Write and Draw on a Chalk Board or White Board

Mount a Chalk Board or White Board: Purchase a chalk board or white board and mount it on a wall in your home or classroom. If a vertical surface is always available to preschoolers, then they will be able to develop their fine motor skills often and at a time they are interested.

Use an Easel or Stand: If you have a small chalk board or white board, stand it on a small easel or plate stand for preschoolers to write and draw.

Change the Location: If you notice that preschoolers are not writing on the chalk board or white board often, simply move the chalk board or white board to a different location.

For the home environment, try placing the chalk board or write board in the kitchen, in the playroom or even the bathroom.

For the classroom environment, try the home living center, the block center, the math center, the reading corner and the playground.

Why Fine Motor Fitness Matters

Fine motor fitness is essential for preschoolers to learn to write, dress themselves and do simple finger tasks in daily life such as eating with utensils and picking up money. Give preschoolers a fine motor skill work out for their tiny hand and wrist muscles by providing parent friendly art opportunities for preschoolers to write and draw on vertical surfaces.

More Articles on Vertical Surface Activities for Preschoolers

Shaving Cream Finger Painting - Outdoor Fine Motor Skill Activity

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Helpful Tips for Parents

• Fine motor and gross motor development support each other. Children who move well also develop hand strength and coordination more effectively.

• Physical play with parents — wrestling, piggyback rides, tickling, rough-and-tumble — builds the parent-child bond and develops physical confidence in ways solo play doesn't.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are warning signs that a preschooler is not developing physical skills appropriately?

Consult your pediatrician if, at age 4, your preschooler cannot: jump with both feet off the ground, hop on one foot, catch a large ball with two hands, walk up and down stairs alternating feet, or run without frequent falling. Significant delays in gross motor development may indicate developmental coordination disorder, hypotonia, neurological factors, or other conditions that benefit from early physical therapy intervention. Earlier evaluation is always better — waiting to see if the child catches up delays potentially helpful intervention.

Related reading: See also our obstacle course guide and our preschool yoga guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 😌 Emotional Regulation — Physical activity is one of the most effective emotional regulation tools available to preschoolers — vigorous movement releases stress hormones and resets the nervous system for calm, focused engagement with other tasks.
• 🧠 Brain-Body Connection — Research consistently shows that physical activity directly improves concentration, working memory, and academic readiness — making fitness time one of the highest-return educational investments in a preschooler's day.
• 🌱 Lifelong Active Habits — Children who have joyful physical experiences in the preschool years are dramatically more likely to be active adolescents and adults — making every positive movement experience an investment in lifelong health.
• 🏃 Gross Motor Skills — Running, jumping, hopping, and climbing build the large muscle strength, coordination, and body control that physical activities, sports, and even handwriting readiness depend on.

by Kelly Pfeiffer

Writing and drawing on vertical surfaces such as walls, chalkboards and white boards strengthens the small muscles in the wrists and hands of preschoolers. For a fine motor skill development activity, set up opportunities for preschoolers to write and draw on a wall or other vertical surface. Try these fun ways to draw and write to develop fine motor fitness for preschoolers.