For each parent, of course, the development of his child is important. It is important that development is even and timely. It is known that all mental processes are interconnected and very often develop in a complex. Even the exercises and games themselves involve the simultaneous development of several processes. Finger gymnastics also applies to such exercises.
When it is performed, not only the development of fine motor skills and coordinated actions of the fingers occurs, but speech is also improved. This process is most needed in older preschool age, because speech during this period needs increased attention from adults. At this age, it is especially necessary to expand the child’s vocabulary, translate the passive dictionary into an active one, monitor the correct pronunciation, etc. Let’s figure out why finger gymnastics is so good and useful for older children.
What it is?
Finger gymnastics is a set of game exercises based on a dramatization of texts of varying complexity (poems, nursery rhymes, stories, etc.) with the help of fingers. These exercises have a complex developmental effect, as they improve not only speech activity, but also all higher nervous activity (GNI) as a whole. This type of gymnastics is extremely useful for children with developmental delays.
What are useful finger games?
Such exercises have a positive effect on the thinking of the child. In the process of performing movements and speaking the text, the working capacity of the cerebral cortex increases and the zones necessary for thinking are stimulated.
Finger gymnastics also develops the emotional-volitional sphere of a child. Thanks to this, the child learns to imitate the actions of adults, understand the instructions, force himself to perform the necessary actions, listen to the speech of adults, understand it and independently pronounce the text. In addition, this technique can be used to create a favorable atmosphere, to get acquainted with the child or as an organizational moment before the lesson.
Also, children develop attention, in particular voluntary. This skill will greatly help your child at school, because thanks to arbitrary attention, the child will be able to purposefully master the school curriculum.
As we already understood, when using finger games speech develops. When a child simply listens to your accompaniment, it helps him to perceive the correct literary speech and understand the meaning of phrases. This skill will prove useful in school when poems need to be analyzed. But when the child speaks the accompanying text himself, this will help to make the speech clear, beautiful, rhythmic and bright.
The memory during these exercises also develops, since the child needs to remember the position of the fingers, the order of movements and the text.
In addition, processes such as fantasy and imagination are affected, because it is not necessary to adhere to a certain text, you can invent whole stories yourself and show finger representations.
In the process of regular use of finger gymnastics, the movements of the child’s fingers become more coordinated, the range of movements increases, the fingers themselves become strong and strong, and this will help in the future when mastering the letter.
The mechanism of the impact of finger gymnastics on the brain
The indicator of the formation of the child’s speech is always associated with the degree of development of finger motility. You can diagnose the level of speech development only by looking at how the child performs finger exercises. It is known that in children with a lag in speech development, the fingers are weak, inactive, and their movements are inaccurate and inconsistent.
When the child performs rhythmic finger movements, the coordinated work of the frontal (Brock's zone) and temporal (Wernicke's) parts of the brain is enhanced, that is, the speech zones develop due to impulses that come from the fingers. Performing exercises leads to excitement in the speech zones.
In the cerebral cortex, the motor and speech centers are the closest neighbors. When performing movements of the fingers and hands, the excitation from the motor center passes to the speech centers of the cortex, which leads to a sudden increase in the efficiency of speech zones.
It is safe to say that training with the help of finger gymnastics contributes to the speech development of children.
Finger gymnastics in older preschool age
The intensive development of oral speech begins when the movements of the fingers reach their maturity. V. M. Bekhterev always pointed out the interconnected development of manual motor skills and speech.
At each age, fine motor skills of hands have characteristic features, and E.M. Mastyukova described them as follows:
- At 1-2 years old, a child can hold up to two objects in one hand, perform certain pencil drawings, turn cardboard pages of children's books, put cubes in the form of a tower, one on one, fold the pyramid.
- At the age of 2-3, the child is already able to open the box and pour out its contents, play with materials such as sand and clay, draw patterns with fingers, string beads, and build more complex figures from cubes. Also, the child holds the pencil more confidently with his fingers.
- From 3 to 5 years, the child already draws with colored crayons, is able to fold paper, makes crafts from plasticine, identifies objects in the bag in a tactile way, and can lace up shoes on his own.
However, the development of motor functions does not stop at 5 years old, it continues until 6-7 years of age, and even does not stop at all, because even adults can improve their fine motor skills with the help of embroidery, weaving from beads and other things.
We can conclude that you can do finger gymnastics with a child already from one year of life, but the most suitable age for this is the senior preschool.
Types of finger gymnastics
Finger gymnastics for the older group involves performing three groups of exercises:
- Exercises for the hands of the hands, which contribute to the development of imitative ability, strain and relax the muscles of the hand, learn to maintain a static position and switch from one position to another.
- Static finger exercises require more precise movements.
- Dynamic exercises for the fingers produce differentiated coordination of movements.
For older children, finger gymnastics can be divided into passive and active. Passive is well suited for the initial preparatory phase of work, and is also useful in working with speechless children. It includes massage of the hands and fingers. It should not give children any unpleasant sensations, since it involves mainly stroking and light massage. Massage is intended for the preparation and heating of the muscles of the hands. It can be used as a technique for establishing psycho-emotional contact with a child during an introductory conversation. However, one must be very careful not to frighten away the child, because not all children allow strangers to touch themselves.
Active finger gymnastics for the older group includes the above-described groups of exercises.
Also, finger gymnastics in content can be divided into appropriate varieties:
- Manipulation games such as "Forty-white-sided", "We shared an orange," "My family." With their help, the child develops imagination, since you need to imagine other images instead of fingers.
- Story finger games. You can apply a variety of topics and come up with mini-stories.
- Finger kinesiological exercises such as "Fist-rib-palm", "Ear-nose", in which you need to change the position of the hands at a given pace.
- Finger exercises with massage elements, which use such techniques as warming up, rubbing, pressure, tweaking (from the periphery to the center).
- Finger exercises with sound, which can be individual sounds and syllables, nursery rhymes, short stories or poems.
Purpose of finger exercises
The goal of finger gymnastics in the older group is the fight against mental fatigue, relieving tension of the articulatory apparatus, increasing the body's tone and a general healing and developmental effect.
Finger Tasks
Among the tasks that are realized in the process of applying finger gymnastics are the following:
- Intensive development of speech.
- Correction of speech disorders.
- Preparing the hand for mastering the writing skill.
- Development of HMF.
- The development of the emotional-volitional sphere.
Rules and Exercise Technique
When conducting finger gymnastics with children, one should adhere to specific rules:
- Include all types of exercises in gymnastics and work out all exercises sequentially, starting from the first group.
- Game manipulations should gradually become more complicated.
- To start the game you need the desire of the child himself.
- You can not use gymnastics if you yourself are tired and your child is feeling unwell.
- Fatigue of the child during the game is not allowed.
As in any activity, in conducting finger gymnastics for the senior group of kindergarten, there is a certain sequence of stages:
- At first, the teacher simply shows the child the game.
- Next, the teacher shows the game on the fingers of the child.
- The teacher and the child perform the movements together, while the adult himself pronounces the text of the accompaniment.
- The child carries out actions independently with the necessary assistance from the educator who speaks the words.
The technique of finger gymnastics at this age also has its own specifics:
- immediately before gymnastics, you need to carry out preparatory work with the child: discuss the topic and content, work out the required gestures and compositions of the fingers;
- it is necessary to carry out warming manipulations, for example, lightly stroking the hands until the child feels heat;
- exercises are performed at a leisurely pace, from 3 to 5 times, first with each hand separately, and then with two hands at the same time;
- performing exercises, it is necessary to use all fingers;
- it is important during the game to monitor the correct execution of movements;
- performed exercises should bring the child pleasant feelings and joy, and not cause discomfort;
- Instructions and corrections during gymnastics should be given in a calm, friendly tone, briefly, clearly and clearly;
- if necessary, help for individual children.
Examples of finger gymnastics for the senior group
For children of this age, finger gymnastics is carried out mainly before the start of classes in drawing, modeling or application, but if the group in the kindergarten has a speech therapy or defect profile, then finger gymnastics in this case can be carried out at any time. In addition, this type of gymnastics can be carried out not only individually with a child, but also in a group of children. Also, when conducting exercises, various materials can be used (su-jok, balls with spikes or various fillers, small balls, natural materials: nuts, chestnuts, pebbles, acorns, etc.).
For greater efficiency, they conduct a complex of finger gymnastics in the older group, which is based on lexical topics covered in the classroom. In poetic form, memorization of all kinds of names is better. It is advisable to use games with the names of months, days of the week, seasons, body parts. Even an adult is easier to remember complex names and rules, especially if there are a lot of them, if they are presented in an interesting poetic form. The combination of movements and thematic poems, contribute to the activation of the passive vocabulary, increase interest in the topic being studied.
For example, finger gymnastics "Spring" in the older group can be carried out for four weeks. However, during this time it is necessary to change the game exercises and complicate the tasks. Finger gymnastics “Insects” in the older group can be applied at different times of the year. Here, in poetic form, you can study insects that do not sleep in the winter or wake up in the spring, as well as those that are found only in the summer. You can also divide insects into dangerous and safe. Finger gymnastics on the topic of "Transport" in the older group can be performed at the beginning of the school year, in the middle and at the end (to check the learned material), as well as when studying a certain type of transport.
As you can see, the theme of finger games can be varied, and the range of application varies depending on the tasks being solved or the desire of the child himself. Finger exercises are such flexible material for the development of a baby’s HMF that it can be applied at any time and on any topic, in any case, it will have a developing and healing effect.
The following are some examples of gymnastics. For example, finger gymnastics "Pisces" in the older group:
Five nice little fish
Frolicking in the river, (hands pressed together by palms, slightly rounded; floating movements in the air are performed)
Big nailed
A log in the sand, (the position of the hands is the same; we turn them from side to side)
And the fish says:
"Diving is easy!" (the position of the hands is the same, a diving movement in the air is performed)
The second said:
"But here is deep" (shake hands from side to side).
And the third yawned:
"So sleepy!" (the position of the hands is the same, we turn the outside of one of the hands).
Fourth became
Freeze a little (we show trembling hands).
And the fifth said:
"Here is the crocodile! (The position of the hands is the same, we imitate the opening and closing mouth of the crocodile).
Sail away soon
So as not to swallow! "(Arms closed again, imitate floating fish).
And here is the finger gymnastics "Animals" in the older group:
We will now tell you (to squeeze and unclench your fingers into a fist)
About cubs and mothers: (bend fingers for each name)
The cat has beautiful kittens,
The dog has naughty puppies
The cow has pinto calves.
The rabbit has cowardly rabbits
And mom has playful guys.
Finger gymnastics "Spring" in the senior group:
Woodpeckers are making noise louder
Titmouse came out to sing (we put the fingers together with the "beak", swing them).
The sun comes out in the morning
To warm the earth (hands depict a “bucket”, we raise our hands above our heads and open the bucket like the sun, the ribs of our palms remain pressed).
The sun comes out in the morning
To warm the earth (the same movements).
Streams flow downhill
The whole snowball has disappeared (we simulate the current streams - hands are turned palms down, fingers together, we perform smooth wave-like movements from top to bottom).
And from under the yellow grass (hands again depict the "bucket")
A flower is already growing ... (the "bucket" opens, the hands remain closed, fingers spread out, half bent)
And from under the yellow grass
A flower is already growing ... (same movements)
The bell opened (hands rest on elbows, fingers clenched into a fist)
In the shade where there is a forest (gradually the fist opens, forming a cup of a bell),
Ding-ding, sings softly (swing the resulting bell, saying "ding-ding"),
Ding ding, spring is coming.
Ding ding singing softly
Ding ding, spring is coming.
Finger gymnastics "Birds" in the older group:
How many birds flew to the feeder in the morning?
We’ll tell you now, boldly count (we work with a cam).
Two crows, a nightingale,
Six tits and a sparrow,
Woodpecker in colorful feathers (bend fingers for each name).
We will fill in the grains (we again work with the cam).
Finger gymnastics "Flowers" in the older group:
One is a daisy, two is a tulip,
Three - peony from hot countries (bend fingers for each name).
Gather a large bouquet
And put it on the buffet (we work with a cam).
Finger gymnastics "Insects" in the older group:
I am a green May bug (we squeeze fingers into a cam).
I fly all around (index finger and little finger apart),
I’m buzzing over the clearings,
And my name is Zhu-Zhu (to move the index finger and little finger).
Do not bite, mosquito evil, -
I'm running away home (fingering the table).
Flew in to us yesterday
Striped bee.
And behind her a bumblebee
And a beautiful moth (bend fingers for each name),
Three beetles and a dragonfly,
Like eye lanterns (we imitate glasses - we bring the thumb and forefinger closed in a circle to the eyes).
Buzzed, flew (waving hands),
Fatigue fell (hands fall with palms on the table).
Finger gymnastics "Cosmos" in the senior group:
The Sun is the main star (the left hand represents the Sun - the fingers are apart and slightly rounded, as if holding a ball),
And around - planets (the right hand depicts planets - a compressed cam "flies" around the "Sun").
And they fly - who is where (to perform "flying" movements with the left hand from right to left)
( "" ).
Finger gymnastics "May" in the senior group:
We took the shoulder blades, dug out the beds.
One-two! One-two! (imitate the movement of a shovel)
Rake also took
The beds were combed:
One-two! One-two! (simulate rake movements)
Seeds in rows
Thrown into the ground:
One-two! One-two! (simulate the spread of seeds)
Grow up soon, bud, (fold your fingers with the "beak")
Dissolve a flower - a peony! (open fingers of both hands)
Finger gymnastics "Transport" in the senior group:
Going to take off
Going to take off
Screws rotating the helicopter (rotate the arms above the head).
Go there (hand movement to the right)
Go here (move your hand to the left)
On the new rails of the train (we rotate with straight palms in front of us),
And motor ships, ships (we imitate the bow of the ship, we fold our hands with a "house" and direct ourselves away, as if breaking waves)
They leave the sea from the earth (wave their hands, as if saying goodbye).
Gymnastics Tips
- Carrying out finger gymnastics, it is necessary to sit opposite each other, the faces of the adult and the child should be at the same level, the hands of the adult should be in visual accessibility for the child (as well as the hands of the child for the teacher).
- Classes should be held daily for about 5 minutes. Therefore, conducting finger gymnastics is the task of not only the educator, but also the parent.
- Exercises should be familiar to the child, this implies that you can not constantly use new finger games, to oversaturate the child. You need to choose two or three games to start and apply only them, and over time, when the child will already perform them without your help, you can gradually introduce new tasks.
- It is also not recommended to immediately require the child to perform finger movements and pronounce the accompanying text. Due to the peculiarities of attention of a child of an older preschool age, especially if he has a developmental delay, the child may lose interest in the game, failing to distribute attention to movements and text at the same time.
- If a child refuses to play, never force him. Try to find out the reasons for this behavior, perhaps you should complicate or simplify the task, change it altogether.
So, we found out that finger gymnastics is extremely important for the older group and it should be used without fear, because this method of development and correction has no contraindications.