Milestones for Fine Motor Skills

(From www.childdevelopment.com)
0 - 6 Months
Development
  • Reflexive grasp (at birth)
  • Global ineffective reach for objects (3 months)
  • Voluntary grasp (3 months)
  • 2 handed palmar grasp (3 months)
  • 1 handed palmar grasp (5 months)
  • Controlled reach (6 months)
Possible implications if milestones not achieved
  • Poor muscle development
  • Delayed ability to play independently
  • Delayed sensory development due to delayed interaction with toys and other sensory objects
6 - 12 Months
Development
  • Reaches, grasps, puts object in mouth
  • Controlled release of objects
  • Pincer grasp
  • Picks things up with pincer grasp (thumb and one finger)
  • Transfers object from one hand to the other
  • Drops and picks up toy
Possible implications if milestones not achieved
  • Poor muscle development
  • Delayed ability to play independently
  • Delayed sensory development due to delayed interaction with toys and other sensory objects
1 - 2 Yrs
Development
  • Builds tower of three small blocks
  • Puts four rings on stick
  • Places five pegs in pegboard
  • Turns pages two or three at a time
  • Scribbles
  • Turns knobs
  • Paints with whole arm movement, shifts hands, makes strokes
  • Self-feeds with minimal assistance
  • Able to use signing to communicate
  • Brings spoon to mouth
  • Holds and drinks from cup independently
Possible implications if milestones not achieved
  • Poor development of hand and finger strength
  • Delayed independent play skills
  • Delayed development of self-care skills such as eating
  • Delayed manipulation skills
2 - 3 Yrs
Development
  • Strings four large beads
  • Turns single pages
  • Snips with scissors
  • Holds crayon with thumb and fingers (not fist)
  • Uses one hand consistently in most activities
  • Imitates circular, vertical, horizontal strokes
  • Paints with some wrist action, makes dots, lines, circular strokes
  • Rolls, pounds, squeezes, and pulls play dough
  • Eats without assistance
Possible implications if milestones not achieved
  • Delayed self-care skills such as eating
  • Delayed pre-writing skills development
  • Delayed manipulation of small objects such as toys, pencils and scissors
  • Frustration when manipulating small toys and objects
3 - 4 Yrs
Development
  • Builds tower of nine small blocks
  • Copies circle
  • Imitates cross
  • Manipulates clay material (rolls balls, makes snakes, cookies)
  • Uses non dominant hand to assist and stabilize the use of objects
  • Snips paper using scissors
Possible implications if milestones not achieved
  • Delayed pre-writing skills development
  • Frustration and/or avoidance of pencil based tasks
  • Poor pencil grasp and pencil control
  • Poor self-care skills such as eating
  • Delayed drawing skills
4 - 5 Yrs
Development
  • Cuts on line continuously
  • Copies cross
  • Copies square
  • Writes name
  • Writes numbers 1-5
  • Copies letters
  • Handedness well established
  • Dresses and undresses independently
Possible implications if milestones not achieved
  • Difficulties holding and manipulating a pencil
  • Difficulties learning to write name and other letters of the alphabet Dependence on caregivers for every day activities such as dressing
  • Frustration and/or avoidance of pencil based tasks
5 - 6 Yrs
Development
  • Cuts out simple shapes
  • Copies triangle
  • Colors within lines
  • Uses a 3 fingered grasp of pencil and uses fingers to generate movement
  • Pastes and glues appropriately
  • Can draw basic pictures
Possible implications if milestones not achieved
  • Difficulties learning to form letters correctly
  • Poor handwriting
  • Difficulties demonstrating academic ability on paper
  • Fatigue during pencil based tasks
  • Frustration and/or avoidance of pencil based tasks
6 - 7 Yrs
Development
  • Forms most letters and numbers correctly
  • Writes consistently on the lines
  • Demonstrates controlled pencil movement
  • Good endurance for writing
  • Can build Lego, knex and other blocks independently
  • Tie Shoe Laces
Possible implications if milestones not achieved
  • Difficulties getting ideas down on paper
  • Experiencing fatigue during handwriting tasks
  • Difficulty keeping up in class due to slow handwriting speed
  • Poor legibility of handwriting
  • May impact on self-esteem when comparing work to peers
  • Possible frustration and/or behavior difficulties due to avoidance of pencil based tasks
7 - 8 Yrs
Development
  • Maintains legibility of handwriting for entirety of a story

Possible implications if milestones not achieved
  • Difficulty completing handwriting tasks in a timely manner
  • Experiencing fatigue during handwriting tasks
  • Poor academic achievement due to difficulty getting ideas down on paper
  • Difficulties due to avoidance of pencil based tasks

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