Tegan Court, Occupational Therapist
The following table shows the key developmental indicators for fine and gross motor skills at different ages:
| Age | Key Developmental Indicators |
| Birth – 3 Months | Baby is beginning to smile at people Looks at faces and makes eye contact Baby responds to sights and sounds Baby can hold their head up and begin to push when lying on their tummy Baby is sucking Baby brings their hands to their mouth |
| 6 Months | Baby uses their hands and mouth to explore objects Baby picks up objects within their reach Back will roll from back to front Baby will begin to sit without support Baby will recognise breasts or bottles |
| 12 Months | Will bang objects together Will point to objects/pictures Walks whilst holding onto furniture May take a few steps without holding on Plays with toys of interest Likes to hold a spoon at mealtimes Will extend limbs to assist with dressing |
| 2 – 3years | Child will begin to separate themselves from the parent Child engages in predominately parallel play (i.e they play alongside other children) Can imitate familiar actions (i.e feeding a doll) Can unscrew lids/turn knobs Can use a spoon to feed themselves Can gesture or use words to indicate toileting needs or hunger Builds a tower of 3-5blocks Picking up small objects with thumb and one finger Walking smoothly Changing direction whilst walking Rolling a ball |
| 3-4 years | Copying blocks deigns Tracing on thick lines Using a non-dominant hand to assist and stabilise objects Dressing independently (excluding amll buttons, zips and shoelaces) Threading small beads onto string Snipping at paper with scissors Pedalling a tricycle Jumping with two feet together Running with control |
| 4-5years | Cutting along a line continuously Holding a pencil with a static tripod grasps Making a good effort to colour in between the lines Using a preferred hand for most activities Copy a circle, cross and square Opening zip lock bags, containers and lunch boxes Catching a ball with hands instead of using body to assist |
| 5-6years | Coordinating hands to brush teeth/hair Dressing and undressing independently (excluding shoelaces) Cutting out simple shapes Dynamic tripod grasp of pencil Using a knife for soft foods Drawing basic pictures Kicking a ball Hopping on one foot |
| 6-7 years | Forms letters and numbers correctly Dressing and toileting independently Endurance with writing tasks Using a knife and fork Tying shoelaces Writing on lines Drawing details pictures Riding a bike without training wheels |
| 7-8 years | Writing neatly Cutting neatly around shapes Independent with toileting and dressing Completing complex puzzles Maintaining legibility of handwriting for a paragraph/page of work Stepping forward with leg when throwing a ball |
Strategies to assist with development at home
| Skill | Strategies |
| Hand strengthening | Playdough activities Arts and crafts Ripping and tearing paper/newspaper Pegging activities Tweezer activities In hand manipulation |
| Handwriting | Correct pencil grasp Dotted thirds Dirt, sky, grass paper Highlight the starting point of the letter as a reference Motivational games – writing of interests, writing with a stylus on an iPad etc |
| Self care – Dressing – Toileting – Mealtimes | Grade the complexity of the clothing – (i.e bigger buttons, Velcro shoes, bagging clothes that require less precision) Identify when the child needs to go to the toilet Always offered a preferred food on the child’s plate Begin to get the child involved in the toileting process (i.e flushing the contents of a soiled nappy down the toilet together) |
How can Umbo help?
Our occupational therapists can assess if your child is meeting the key developmental indicators, and can provide strategies you can use within the home to help develop their skills.