He started at age 2. He never got into the jigsaw puzzles. He started the mazes with a fat marker in a fist grip which let me teach him how to control his lines before he developed finger strength. My daughter is 20 months old now. She has some random extra workbook that I give her just to scribble in just to keep her from marking her brothers workbooks. The lesson is "write on this book, not on that one." The other day one page had a large circle on it so I tested her to see if she'd follow my finger. She did. She didn't draw a straight line but narrowed her scribbling back and forth down tighter and did actually follow my finger halfway around the circle which is enough to get started with the maze book, which I haven't bought another copy of yet. She has a coloring book of strawberry shortcake. The other day I told her verbally, "go color her eyes, where's her eyes" and she scribbled over her eyes. Then I said "color her shoes". She did. Using a workbook will teach how to control the pencil and how to follow the instructions. She just got her first two lessons. I'll buy her the Kumon maze book soon. She's a prolific scribbler anyway and she has a dry erase easel. (supervise the markers !!!)
I think if you want to use workbooks it's just a way to develop skills like understanding directions and learning to draw your response down to the piece of paper.
He was close to three when he used scissors to cut straight lines. We worked together on a construction paper chain and a construction paper American flag. I say that because there are cutting workbooks but he cuts fine and you really have to practice with straight lines first, but you have got a year or two before you try that.
I think this game helped his fine motor skills. It's the travel sized version. I bought it at Walmart.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2297894
