Fine motor skills are used for what we consider coordination and the ability to control our hands and fingers, specifically with smaller controlled movements. This control is exhibited at a young age and form the foundation for basic skills such as writing, eating, and turning page in a book. Trouble with these fine motor skills at a young language can signify deeper issues. Our skilled experts can perform an analysis to determine if there are issues.
The following fine motor skills should be present based on your child’s age.
Birth to 3 months
- Hands are in a fist, thumbs are tucked in
- Baby’s arms move randomly in asymmetric patterns
- Watches movements of her hands and can bring the hand to her mouth
- Swings at a target using her entire arm
- Follows a moving person with her eyes
- Holds objects in hands
3-6 months
- Picks up objects with one hand
- Transfers objects from one hand to another
- Looks at objects a few feet away
- Holds hands together
- Reaches for a toy using both arms and holds it briefly
6-9 months
- Rakes tiny objects with fingers
- Uses thumb and fingertips to grasp objects
- Uses thumb and side of index finger to grip objects
- Holds 2 objects, one in each hand, at the same time
- Uses 2 hands to pick up large objects
9-12 month
- Puts small objects in cup or other container
- urns book pages a few at a timean>
- Attempts to imitate new gestures
- Pokes and points at things using index finger
- Grabs crayons in fist
- Uses both hands and begins to show preference for one
12-18 months
- Builds tower of 2 or more blocks
- Marks with crayon or pencil
- Marks a piece of paper with a crayon and scribbles imitatively
- Stacks 2-3 cubes
- Can hold an object with one hand and manipulate it with the other hand
18-24 months
- Starts using fingers and thumb to grasp crayons
- Imitates vertical and circular scribbles
- Turns pages of a book one at a time
- Strings 1-3 inch beads
- Cuts paper using scissors
- Builds tower with 3-5 blocks
3-4 years
- Cuts across paper with small scissors
- Draws or copies a complete circle
4-5 years
- Prints first name (four letters)
- Draws a person that has at least 3 parts- head, eyes, nose, etc.
- Draws recognizable pictures