Did you know? Ripping paper is a surprisingly powerful way to build fine motor skills.
When students tear paper, they’re strengthening the same fingers—thumb, index, and middle—that they’ll use for:
✍️ Writing
🎨 Drawing
📏 Precision-based tasks
The best part? It’s easy to incorporate into your classroom, fairly mess-free, and students absolutely love it.
How to Use Torn Paper in Your Classroom
Sensory bins: Add strips of paper for students to tear and sort by color, size, or texture.
Art projects: Encourage students to create collages or seasonal art with torn pieces.
Vocabulary activities: Have students tear pieces of paper with words in English and French and match them to images or objects.
Themed projects: Pair tearing paper with holidays, seasons, or classroom themes for extra engagement.
Even small daily opportunities for tearing, rolling, or crumpling paper can make a big difference in hand strength and coordination
Bonus
If you’re a fan of this kind of activity, I include Torn Paper activities in all of my Holiday Learning Activity Bundles—ready-to-go, bilingual, and perfect for hands-on fun!
💌Want more hands-on ideas for fine motor skills and bilingual learning? Check out my TPT store for ready-to-use resources that make your life easier while keeping students engaged.
Visit My TPT Store today!