Fine Motor Development Milestones (0-6 years)

Study Notes

Fine Motor Development

Fine motor development refers to the collective skills and activities that involve using the hands and fingers.
It includes reaching, grasping, manipulating objects, and using different tools like crayons and scissors.

Fine Motor Development Milestones (0-6 years)

0-4 months: Child moves hand and arm together to bat at objects, develops coordinated movement of eyes and head, and begins to reach for objects.
4-12 months: Child squeezes objects, holds them in a closed fist, picks up small items, and makes marks with crayons and markers.
1-2 years: Child develops hand preference, colors with circular scribbles, and progresses to horizontal or vertical scribbles.
2-3 years: Child shows less shoulder movement, more elbow movement, and hand dominance emerges.
3-4 years: Child develops tripod pencil grasp, imitates shapes, and cuts paper into 2 halves.
4-5 years: Hand dominance is established, colors stay within lines, and cuts become smaller and more precise.
5-6 years: Both hands work together, and child holds scissors in a mature fashion.

Stages of Fine Motor Development

Integration and Implementation Stage: Fine motor and handwriting skills performed automatically with focus on content and outcome.
Refinement Stage: Skilled use of tools, pencil control, and fine manipulation of objects.
Transition Stage: Exploratory pre-academic stage, beginning pre-writing, dressing self, and self-feeding.
Early Exploring Stage: Releasing and transferring objects between hands, grasping, and reaching.
Foundation Stage: Development of hip and trunk stability, shoulder girdle, head control, and visual tracking.

Activities to Develop Fine Motor Skills

Molding and rolling play dough into balls.
Using pegs or toothpicks to make designs in play dough.
Turning over cards, coins, or checkers without bringing them to the edge of the table.
Making pictures using stickers or self-sticking paper reinforcements.
Scissor activities: cutting junk mail, making fringe, cutting play dough, and cutting straws or shredded paper.
Sensory activities: wheelbarrow walking, clapping games, catching bubbles, and pulling off pieces of clay/dough.
Midline crossing activities: reaching across the body for materials with each hand.
Activities to develop handwriting skills: body stability, fine motor skills, ocular motor control, and eye-hand coordination.

Fine Motor Skills for Formal Schooling

Children should be developing skills such as picking up objects using oversized tongs and tweezers, activating and playing with wind-up toys, and spinning small hand-held tops.

Fine Motor Skills Expected from a Child Entering School

Demonstrate hand dominance.
Use the tips of the fingers and the thumb together in a precise pinch or pincer grasp.
Follow an object smoothly with the eyes only while the head remains still.
Put together a complex, interlocking puzzle.
Manipulate small objects within the hand.

Impact of Weak Fine Motor Skills on a Child

Outright refusal to participate in an activity.
Avoidance techniques.
Anger outbursts.
Sadness.
Defeatist behavior.

Teacher Support

Teachers can help children with weak fine motor skills by providing support and accommodations.

Description

Assess your knowledge of fine motor development, including the skills and activities that involve using hands and fingers, and the milestones achieved from 0 to 6 years. Test your understanding of reaching, grasping, manipulating objects, and using tools like crayons and scissors. Learn about the coordinated movement of eyes and head in young children.