When it comes to playing with stickers, not many parents realize that they are busy learning different skills at the same time. From , gross and , and more, there are several benefits to toddlers' development when they play with stickers.

Be it the bright colors, the texture, or the stickiness of stickers, toddlers love them. They love to stick them to their body, to create pictures, put them on walls, or anywhere in arms reach that the sticker will cling to. While it is not always the most convenient spot to discover a sticker has been placed, the effort it took to put the sticker in its spot took skills to get it there and that should be celebrated.

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Here are ways toddlers benefit from playing with stickers.

6 Hones The Pincer Grasp

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The pincer grasp is when the thumb and pointer finger are used together to accomplish a task. From picking up an item to buttoning up a shirt, the pincer grasp is being used.

When the pincer grasp is learned, it shows that the brain and small muscles of the fingers are working together. According to , when this skill is mastered, it is the first step to toddlers learning to do things on their own on the road to "gaining independence" as they age.

Toddlers use the fine motor skill, the pincer grasp when taking the stickers off of the page. By working with their thumb and index finger to remove the stickers the pincer grasp is honed and strengthened. When the development is complete, the toddler will have a "neat" pincer grasp, according to the publication, and will be able to pick items up with his fingertips.

5 Provides Sensory Play

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Stickers come in a variety of colors, textures, and even scents. As such, when playing with stickers, toddlers are involved in sensory play.

Many may think that sensory play is when a toddler uses his sense of touch to play with different textures. While that is a part of sensory play, to get the most out of sensory play, all senses must be stimulated. And these senses are what help toddlers "make sense of the world" through "examining, discovering, categorizing" what they are playing with, according to .

Therefore, when stickers are scented and have a variety of textures and colors, several senses are working when playing with stickers.

4 Builds Hand Strength

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It is important to build a toddler's hand strength so that as he ages, he has good dexterity skills. When a toddler is able to accomplish tasks with his hands skillfully versus clumsily picking an item up, he has built up his hand strength, according to .

Things such as stickers come into play to build up hand strength by having to use small muscles to peel the sticker off of the page, according to . The more often toddlers practice taking pictures off of the page, the stronger their hands will become.

3 Gross Motor Skills Are Developed

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Stickers and gross motor skills do not seem to have an automatic correlation. After all, things such as stepping, standing, walking, climbing, and running would not be used to manipulate stickers. However, when stickers are used to accomplish these tasks, gross motor skills are developed.

According to , activities that develop gross motor skills can be done by placing stickers on body parts such as arms, legs, elbows, and knees. Asking the toddler to move one body part to where a sticker is located on another body part has them manipulate their body in ways that will help them with their overall body movement. And the more coordination toddlers have makes them more stable when being active.

2 Develops Bilateral Hand Coordination

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When the hands work together to complete a task, they have developed bilateral hand coordination.

According to , when have been honed, the toddler will be able to "coordinate both sides of the body at the same time in a controlled and organized manner."

Sticker play helps with hand coordination when it comes to peeling the stickers off of the page. Because one hand has to hold the sheet of stickers and one has to take the stickers off, the hands are working together to accomplish one goal.

The stronger the toddler is with his bilateral hand coordination, the easier it will be for him to complete activities of daily living, such as dressing himself, brushing his teeth, and more. Developing bilateral hand coordination also strengthens the fine and gross motor skills that lead to a .

1 Teaches Body Awareness

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Body awareness can easily be taught to a toddler through sticker play. And because the toddler will feel like he is playing, he will not realize that he is learning at the same time.

According to , by asking the toddler to place the sticker on parts of his body, he will become more aware as to where those body parts are located. Therefore, asking the little one to place a sticker on his forehead, elbow, knee, shoulder, and more, will not only teach the toddler what the names of his body parts are but where they are in relation to one another as well.

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