5.9 Motor Skill Milestones
While fine motor skills are slower to develop (in accordance with proximodistal development), pretty remarkable progress is made in fine motor development during the first few years. Children go from having no intentional fine motor control to being able to manipulate objects to play and learn, as well as beginning to care of themselves. The following is a table of the major milestones in fine motor development (figure 5.7).
Figure 5.7 Fine Motor Milestones.
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Typical Age
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What Most Children Do by This Age
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2 months
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- grasp reflexively
- do not reach for objects
- hold hands in fists
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4 months
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- bring hands to mouth
- use hands and eyes together, such as seeing a toy and reaching for it
- follow moving things with eyes from side to side
- can hold a toy with whole hand (palmar grasp) and shake it and swing at dangling toys
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6 months
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- reach with both arms
- bring things to mouth
- begin to pass things from one hand to the other
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9 months
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- put things in mouth
- move things smoothly from one hand to the other
- pick up things between thumb and index finger (pincer grip)
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1 year
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- reach with one hand
- bang two things together
- put things in a container, take things out of a container
- let things go without help
- poke with index (pointer) finger
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18 months
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- scribble on their own
- can help undress themselves
- drink from a cup
- eat with a spoon with some accuracy
- stack two to four objects
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2 years
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- build towers of four or more blocks
- might use one hand more than the other
- make copies of straight lines and circles
- enjoy pouring and filling
- unbutton large buttons
- unzip large zippers
- drink and feed themselves with more accuracy
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3 years
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- use hands to twist things, such as doorknobs or lids
- turn book pages one at a time when you read to them
- string items together, such as large beads or macaroni
- use a fork
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Children grow very quickly and meet physical milestones rapidly in the first few years of life. Figure 5.8 lists the major gross motor milestones that typically occur within the first 3 years.
Figure 5.8 Gross Motor Milestones.
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Typical Age
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What Most Children Do by This Age
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2 months
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- can hold head up and begin to push up when lying on tummy
- make smoother movements with arms and legs
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4 months
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- hold head steady without support
- push down on their legs when their feet are on a hard surface
- may be able to roll over from their tummy to back
- bring hands to mouth
- push up to elbows when lying on stomach
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6 months
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- roll over in both directions (front to back, back to front)
- begin to sit without support
- when standing, support weight on legs and might bounce
- rock back and forth, sometimes crawling backward before moving forward
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9 months
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- stand while holding on
- can get into sitting position
- sit without support
- pull to stand
- crawl
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1 year
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- get to a sitting position without help
- pull up to stand, walk holding on to furniture (“cruising”)
- may take a few steps without holding on
- may stand alone
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18 months
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- walk alone
- may walk up steps and run
- pull toys while walking
- can help undress self
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2 years
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- stand on tiptoe
- kick a ball
- begin to run
- climb onto and down from furniture without help
- walk up and down stairs while holding on
- throw ball overhand
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3 years
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- take some clothes off, such as pants or an open jacket
- jump off the ground with both feet
- put on some clothes by themselves, such as loose pants or a jacket
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Licenses and Attributions for Motor Skill Milestones
“Motor Skill Milestones” from Child Growth and Development authored and compiled by Jennifer Paris, Antoinette Ricardo, & Dawn Rymond is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Figure 5.7. Developmental Milestones by the CDC is in the public domain.
Figure 5.8. Developmental Milestones by the CDC is in the public domain.
