Build Fine Motor Skills by Creating a Delicious Christmas Tree During the Holidays

It’s just a few more days until Christmas, and we're sure many of your homes already have a beautifully decorated Christmas tree in your living room.

Here is an edible and delectable way for your child to make her own Christmas tree while practicing her fine motor skills:

What You Need:

• Sugar Cones

• Cupcakes

• Vanilla Frosting

• Green food coloring

• Red or green decorative sugar or sprinkles

• M&M's

• Gum drops

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. To work on pressure modulation and fine motor coordination, have your child squeeze several drops of green food coloring into the white frosting. Mix thoroughly to strengthen hand muscles and bilateral coordination.

2. Have your child spread the frosting over an upside-down sugar cone and a cupcake using a silicone spatula. This, too, is a great way to work on pressure modulation because your child will need to exert just the right amount of pressure to keep the cone from cracking.

3. To strengthen the pincer grasp, have your child use their "circle fingers" to decorate the tree with colored sugar. Use strawberry pickers, zoo sticks, or plastic tweezers to place M&Ms artfully.

4. Turn the cone upside down onto a cupcake. Place a gumdrop at the top to be the celebratory ornament.

5. Have the tree do double duty as a centerpiece, decorative place setting, or an individualized dessert for the children!