Fine Motor

0-3 Month

Eye-to-eye contact (parallel eyes)

Fixes eyes on light

Eyes follow object to midline, to past midline, over 180 degrees, down, then up eye movement

Hands opening from closed posture

3-5 Month

Grasp with his eyes when interested in object

Hand regard or studies his hands, hands at midline, clutch and unclutches hands

Visual exploration of environment, visual directed reach begins

Clumsy reading, bilateral - corralling an object

Clutches clothes, touches body, mouth and face

Grasps object placed in hand, adducted thumb

5-7 Month

Reaching successfully in all directions, depending on trunk balance

Bilateral reach, unilateral reach; excessive MP/finger extension

Grasps feet in supine and sitting - bilateral then unilateral, thumb pressed into opposition

Maintains grasp on stationary object

Ulnar grasp change to palmar grasp, wrist flexed—> straight

Mirror movements of grasp in other hand

Moves head to see things, eyes converge and focus on pellet at 10ft, smaller pellets seen by 9 mo, rakes pellet with flexing-adducting thumb

Continues to mouth everything, head to mouth movement with object

7-9 Month

Transfers object from hand to hand

Unilateral reach and grasp, wrist extends

Radial grasp, beginning use of fingertips with opposed thumb

Holds one block while given another

Offers cube, but cannot release it, drops objects

Releases cube by pressing it against a hard surface

Bangs two objects together, compares them

Pats, bangs, strokes, clutches, rakes, scratches - pats mother’s face, pats image of face in mirror, thumb abducted or opposed

9-12 Month

Protrudes index finger, pokes objects with finger, other fingers flexing

Grasps between fingers and thumb then one finger and thumb (crude to fine pincer grasp)

Pick up and place in and out of large containers, places lids

Reach and grasp possible in all directions, with supination and other improved control of arm, appropriate anticipatory grasp

Release with gross opening of hand then more precise until places small objects in jar, peg in hold, for appropriate anticipatory release

Looks for fallen tory (permanence of objects), casts toys

13-18 Month

Crayon is held in the fist with thumb up

• Palmar-supinate grasp of pencil

Precise, controlled release into small container with wrist extended

Imitative scribble

18-24 Month

Spontaneous scribble

24-36 Month

Crayon is held with fingers, hands on top of tool, forearm turned so thumb is directed downward (digital pronate)

Imitates vertical then horizontal stroke

3-4 yrs

Copies circle

Traces diamond with angles rounded

4-5 yrs

Cuts straight line with scissors

Copies cross

Use static tripod grasp of pencil

May begin to hold writing tool in finger grip

Can button small buttons

Copies Square

5-6 yrs

Use dynamic tripod grasp of pencil

Copies triangle

6 yrs

Can connect a zipper on a coat

May tie shoes

Moves a writing tool with fingers while side of hand rests on table

Copies diamond

7 yrs

Makes small, controlled marks with pencils due to more refined finger dexterity

8 yrs

Throws and bats a ball more skillfully

Plays games requiring considerable fine motor skill and good reaction time

9 yrs

Enjoys hobbies requiring high levels of fine-motor skill (sewing, model building)

10 yrs

Fine motor development reached adult skill levels