Child Development: Motor Skills Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is defined as the ability to make movements using the small muscles in the hands and wrists?

Gross motor skills

Sensory skills

Fine motor skills (correct)

Coordination skills

At what age are infants better at reaching than at 2 months of age?

4 months

6 months

1 month (correct)

3 months

What term is used to describe the action of extending arms awkwardly toward an object during the first month of life?

Grasping

Swiping

Swinging

Pre-reaching (correct)

Which of the following is NOT a principal milestone of fine motor development in infancy?

Walking Signup and view all the answers

Fine motor skills develop alongside which other type of motor skills?

Gross motor skills Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important for caregivers to monitor the environment of infants at this stage of development?

To prevent dangerous situations Signup and view all the answers

What does the gradual development of fine motor skills indicate about an infant's growth?

They may develop skills at varying rates Signup and view all the answers

What is the nature of movements made by neonates when they engage in pre-reaching?

Awkward swipes or swings Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the development of fine motor skills during early childhood?

Fine motor skills typically develop more slowly in preschoolers. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a fine motor skill?

Tying shoelaces Signup and view all the answers

What distinction is noted between gross and fine motor skills?

Fine motor skills involve smaller bodily movements. Signup and view all the answers

At what stage of childhood do significant refinements in fine motor skills typically occur?

Early childhood Signup and view all the answers

At what age do babies typically begin to hold objects in a clumsy ulnar grasp?

3 months Signup and view all the answers

How does the fine motor skill development of a 2-year-old compare to that of a 6-year-old in tying shoelaces?

The 2-year-old has not yet grasped the concept of this task. Signup and view all the answers

What theory pertains to preschoolers learning both gross and fine motor skills?

Observational Learning Theory Signup and view all the answers

When do babies start transferring objects from one hand to the other?

5 months Signup and view all the answers

What developmental milestone is typically reached by 6 months of age?

Refining manipulation of objects using hands and mouth Signup and view all the answers

What key factor contributes to the slower development of fine motor skills in preschoolers?

Preference for gross motor activities. Signup and view all the answers

Which activity is typically NOT associated with fine motor skills?

Skipping Signup and view all the answers

At what age do babies typically start to pick up and drink from a cup?

7 months Signup and view all the answers

When can babies begin to use a pincer grasp to hold tiny objects?

9 months Signup and view all the answers

By what age can babies place smaller objects where they want, like in a bowl or cup?

10 months Signup and view all the answers

At what age do toddlers begin to use tools such as spoons and crayons?

15 months Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant fine motor skill achieved by 12-month-old babies?

Using hands independently in play Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Gross Motor Skills

Young children may struggle with coordinating their movements, sometimes leading to falls or unintentional entry into dangerous situations.
It is important for caregivers to create a safe environment for children and enforce safety rules like holding hands while crossing the street.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills involve using small muscles in the hands and wrists.
They develop alongside gross motor skills, allowing babies to learn how to use their hands and coordinate movements with their senses.
Fine motor skills develop gradually as babies build upon previously acquired skills.
Babies may progress faster in some areas of development than others.

Reaching and Grasping

Infants are better at reaching during the first month of life compared to two months of age.
Neonates perform awkward arm extensions towards objects, known as pre-reaching.
From birth to around two months, babies engage in pre-reaching, attempting to grasp objects but rarely making contact.

Lateralization

Refers to the localization of functions, skills, and competencies in one or both hemispheres of the brain.
Language, writing, logic, and math abilities are often associated with the left hemisphere, while creativity, artistic, and musical abilities are associated with the right hemisphere.
Hemispheres usually work together despite potentially having separate functions.
The left hemisphere develops more fully in early childhood, while the right hemisphere develops more fully in middle childhood.
The early and prolonged dominance of the left hemisphere might explain why children acquire language at a young age.

Handedness

Handedness, or preference for using one hand over the other, becomes strongly established during middle childhood.
Right-handedness is prevalent in about 90% of the population.
Left-handedness and ambidextrousness account for the remaining percentage.
Ambidextrous individuals show no preference for using one hand over the other.
Right-handedness is typically associated with left-cerebral dominance, while left-handedness is associated with right-cerebral dominance.

Motor Skills Development in Early Childhood

Gross motor skills include activities like running, jumping, hopping, and throwing.
Fine motor skills involve tasks like drawing, writing, and tying shoelaces.
Both gross and fine motor skills develop throughout early childhood, with fine motor skills developing more slowly in preschoolers.
Bandura's theory of observational learning plays a role in how preschoolers learn both gross and fine motor skills.

Milestones in Fine Motor Skills Development

Around 3 months of age, babies' eyesight improves, enabling them to reach objects with better accuracy.
Between 3 and 4 months, babies begin holding objects in a clumsy ulnar grasp, using their palm and enclosed fingers.
At 4 months, babies reach for everything within their line of sight and practice their grasp.
At 5 months, babies can transfer objects between their hands, as they are able to sit up and play.
Around 6 months, babies refine their object manipulation skills, exploring objects with their hands and mouths.
By 7 months, babies are able to grasp pellet-sized objects crudely between their thumb and forefinger.
Between 7 and 9 months, most babies can pick up and drink from a cup.
Around 9 months, babies refine their grasp, holding tiny objects between their thumb and forefinger (pincer grasp) and can now set down larger objects gently.
By 10 or 11 months, babies can place smaller objects like cereal in a bowl or cup.
At 12 months, babies can use their hands independently during play, preparing them for tool manipulation in the following year.
Around 15 months, toddlers begin using tools like cups, spoons, and crayons and can start feeding themselves with utensils.

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Description

Explore the development of gross and fine motor skills in young children. This quiz covers key concepts such as reaching, grasping, and the importance of a safe environment for promoting coordination and safety. Enhance your understanding of child motor development stages.