What are fine motor milestones?
- Milestones are a set of age-specific tasks that most children can do at a particular age.
- Fine motor milestones include using eyes and hands to perform functional tasks like writing, catching a ball, feeding, dressing, and small object manipulation.
How do I know if my child has delayed fine motor milestones?
- This list is a guide. If your child is not meeting these milestones at the appropriate age, please follow up as quickly as possible with your physician.
- The earlier therapy is started, the more beneficial it can be to prevent further delays.
The First Year
0-2 Months
- Grasps small toy when placed in hand.
3-5 Months
- Brings hand to mouth.
- Holds and shakes toy.
- Hits dangling objects with hands.
- Reaches for toy with both hands.
6-8 Months
- Holds bottle to mouth.
- Passes object from one hand to another.
- Feeds self finger food.
9-11 Months
- Waves bye-bye.
- Pokes holes or points with index finger.
- Throws things to see what happens.
The Second Year
12-15 months
- Identifies 1 body part.
- Turns off light switch.
- Imitates adult by scribbling.
- Brings spoon to mouth.
- Stack 2 blocks.
16-19 Months
- Drinks from small cup and sets down on table.
- Puts large peg in peg hole.
20-23 Months
- Turns hand to screw on lid.
- Turns light switch on and off.
- Zips and unzips easy zippers.
24-27 Months
- Grasps pencil with palm.
- Grasps thick crayon with thumb and fingers.
- Imitates drawing a vertical line.
- Threads shoelace with beads.
- Throws large ball.
28-31 Months
- Grasps pencil with fingers and thumb instead of fist.
- Brushes teeth with adult help.
32-35 Months
- Uses small beads and pegs.
- Eats with a fork.
- Imitates drawing a horizontal line.
- Dresses self with help.
3-3 ½ years
- Completes an easy puzzle.
- Uses fingers to show age.
- Does finger plays while singing songs.
- Copies a circle.
3 ½-4 years
- Makes fist and wiggles thumb.
- Grasps pencil with thumb, index and middle fingers.
- Cuts a piece of paper in half.
- Copies vertical and horizontal letters.
4-4 ½ years
- Fastening buttons quiet well.
- Touches tip of thumb to each finger.
- Screws and unscrews nuts and bolts.
- Grasps thick marker or large chalk with thumb and pad of index finger.
- Draws a person with 3 body parts.
- Copies a cross.
4 ½-5 years
- Places 1 1¼ inch paper clip on paper.
- Squeezes bottles.
- Places key in and opens lock.
- Copies a square.
- Zips most zippers
5-5 ½ years
- Laces shoes.
- Ties shoes.
- Spreads with knife.
- Copies a triangle.
- Builds complex block design.
- Draws a person with 6 parts.
- Prefers right or left hand.
- Feels and identifies textures.
5 ½ -6 years
- Catches bean bag with one hand.
- Throws with accuracy.
- Uses tweezers and tools that strengthen hand.
- Cuts well with scissors.
- Copies name in print clearly.
- Brushes and combs hair.
- Copies numbers 1-5.
- Uses simple tools such as a screwdriver.
