stages of motor development (gross + fine)

1-3 months

gross motor skills: stepping reflex, lifts head, sits with support

fine motor skills: grasps object if placed in hands, sucks, control of eye movements, first smile

2-4 months

gross motor skills: when prone lifts head + uses arms for support

fine motor skills: grasps cube when placed near hand

5-8 months

gross motor skills: sits without support

fine motor skills: reaches for + grasps object, using 1 hand

5-10 months

gross motor skills: stands with support, + pulls self to stand

fine motor skills: points at object of interest, grasps with thumb + finger (‘pincher grasp’)

5-11 months

gross motor skills: crawls

fine motor skills: grasps spoon, gradually learns to direct food to mouth

10-14 months

gross motor skills: stands alone, + walks alone

fine motor skills: puts object into small containers, builds ‘tower’ of cubes; produces first meaningful word

13-18 months

gross motor skills: walks backwards + sideways, runs, climbs, walks up stairs

fine motor skills: holds crayon with fingers, scribbles

18-30 months

gross motor skills: runs easily, jumps, skips, rides + steers tricycle, walks on tiptoe

fine motor skills: vocabulary + articulation increases rapidly, picks up small objects