Special Needs Therapy and Social Involvement Fine and Gross Motor Skills in Children By Terri Mauro facebook twitter linkedin Terri Mauro is the author of "50 Ways to Support Your Child's Special Education" and contributor to the Parenting Roundabout podcast. Learn about our editorial process Terri Mauro Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sarah Rahal, MD on November 07, 2019 linkedin Sarah Rahal, MD is a double board-certified adult and pediatric neurologist and headache medicine specialist. Learn about our Review Board Sarah Rahal, MD on November 07, 2019 Print Paul Bradbury/Caiaimage / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Fine Motor Skills Gross Motor Skills Motor skills are skills that enable the movements and tasks we do on a daily basis. Fine motor skills are those that require a high degree of control and precision in the small muscles of the hand (such as using a fork). Gross motor skills use the large muscles in the body and include broader movements such as walking and jumping. Typically, children develop certain motor skills at specific ages, but not every child will reach milestones at precisely the same time. A child with motor impairments has trouble moving in a controlled, coordinated, and efficient way. If your child seems to be delayed in developing fine or gross motor skills, they will likely undergo an assessment and may require physical or occupational therapy to catch up. Fine Motor Skills Fine motor skill activities involve manual dexterity and often require coordinating movements of the hands and fingers with the eyes. This is called hand-eye coordination. Components of fine motor skills include being able to grip and manipulate objects, use both hands for a task, and use just the thumb and one finger to pick something up, rather than the whole hand. Here are just a few examples of fine motor skills that typically occur at different phases of development: 0 to 3 Months Can use arms to swing or "bat" at objectsWatches her hands move and brings them to her mouth 3 to 6 Months Begins to transfer objects from one hand to anotherCan hold own hands togetherCan reach for toys using both arms 6 to 9 Months Begins to grasp & hold onto objects, such as a bottleSqueezes objectsUses a raking grasp to move objects with fingers 9 to 12 Months Begins to show a preference for one hand over the otherCan put small objects in a cup or containerCan turn pages in a book a few pages at a timeDevelops pincer grasp (using index finger and thumb to grasp objects)Feeds himself finger foods 12 to18 Months Can build a tower two blocks highCan scoop objects with a spoon or small shovelClaps handsScribbles with crayons on paperWaves goodbye 18 Months to 2 Years Begins holding a crayon with fingertips and thumbCan build a tower three to four blocks highCan open loosely wrapped packages or containersCan turn pages in a book one page at a timePuts rings on pegs 2 Years Can stack a block tower 9 blocks highCan turn doorknobsCan wash hands independentlyCan zip and unzip large zippersManipulates clay or play dough 3 Years Can cut a piece of paper in halfCan draw a circle after being shown an exampleCan fasten and unfasten large buttons 4 Years Can get dressed and undressed without helpCan touch the tip of each finger to the thumbCan use a fork correctly 5 Years Can cut out a circleCopies a triangle shapeGrasps a pencil correctlyTies shoelaces 6 Years Builds a small structure with blocksCan put a 16 to 20 piece puzzle togetherCuts well with scissorsUses a knife to cut food Children with neurological problems or developmental delays may have difficulty with fine motor skills and may need occupational therapy, modifications, or assistive technology. The focus should be on developmental milestones and the skills they need for school and play. Activities that might improve fine motor skills include picking up objects with tongs, building with blocks, and doing craft projects. Gross Motor Skills Gross motor skills are movements that involve large muscle groups and are generally more broad and energetic than fine motor movements. These include walking, kicking, jumping, and climbing stairs. Some milestones for gross motor skills also involve eye-hand coordination, such as throwing or catching a ball. Here are some examples of gross motor skills that typically occur at different phases of development: 3 to 6 Months Raises arms and legs when placed on the stomachRolls overSupports own head when in a sitting position 6 Months to 1 Year CrawlsPulls self from a sitting to a standing positionSits without support 1 Year Climbs onto low furnitureClimbs stairs with assistancePulls or pushes toys with wheelsWalks with one hand held 2 Years Jumps using both feet simultaneouslyRuns very stiffly on toesWalks upstairs without a banister 3 Years Rides tricycle using pedals, unassisted by an adultRuns without fallingThrows a ball to an adult standing five feet away 4 Years Catches a ball with arms and bodyRuns smoothly with changes in speedWalks upstairs by alternating feet 5 Years Catches a ball with two handsHops on one footPerforms jumping jacks and toe touchesWalks up and down the stairs while carrying objects 6 Years Kicks rolling ballJumps over objects 10 inches highRides a bicycle with training wheelsThrows with accurate placement It may be easier to notice if your child isn't reaching gross motor skill milestones than fine motor milestones because you're probably eagerly anticipating your baby rolling over, crawling, pulling themselves up along furniture, and taking their first step. As a child grows, you note when they are running and playing and how well they do in physical games and sports. Children with neurological problems, developmental delays, or disabilities that affect movement may receive physical therapy to help with gross motor skills or may need modifications or assistive technology to keep up with mobility or athletics. A Word From Verywell While each child is different, don't hesitate to discuss any concerns about your child's motor skills with your pediatrician. If your child is referred to occupational therapy or physical therapy, you will be involved in the therapy and will be given instructions on how to work with your child at home to build his motor skills. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Influence of motor skills training on children's development evaluated in the Motor skills in PreSchool (MiPS) study-DK: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial, nested in a cohort study. Trials. 2017;18(1):400. Improvement in children's fine motor skills following a computerized typing intervention. Hum Mov Sci. 2017;56(Pt B):29-36. doi:10.1016/j.humov.2017.10.013 Evidence-based milestone ages as a framework for developmental surveillance. Paediatr Child Health. 2012;17(10):561-8. Developmental coordination disorders and sensory processing and integration: Incidence, associations and co-morbidities. Br J Occup Ther. 2017;80(9):549-557. doi:10.1177/0308022617709183 The validity of parental reports on motor skills performance level in preschool children: a comparison with a standardized motor test. Eur J Pediatr. 2018;177(5):715-722. doi:10.1007/s00431-017-3078-6 Additional Reading Growing Hands-On Kids. Typical Fine Motor Developmental Milestones.