Physical development milestones provide general guidelines for attainment of particular skills in gross, fine and oral motor skills. These guidelines assist in determining if a child needs additional support or interventions. Allen and Marotz, authors of "By the Ages: Behavior & Development of Children Pre-Birth through Eight," emphasize the importance of the sequence in development over the specific age that a child attains a skill.
Physical Development
Muscles of the tongue and mouth provide the foundation for oral motor skills. Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of the hands and arms. Large muscles of the arms, legs and torso are utilized in gross motor development.
Infants
Infant oral motor skills are largely reflexive and include sucking, swallowing, gagging, coughing and yawning. Reflexive movements such as grasping, curling the toes, stepping when the feet touch a firm object and extending the arms and legs the same direction as the head are present at birth.
Four Months
By four months movements become more intentional as babies learn to grasp with the whole hand and lift their heads when lying on their bellies.
Eight Months
Babies develop the skill of moving pureed food around in their mouths with their tongues between four and eight months of age. By eight months they can use a pincer grasp (thumb and forefinger), reach for objects with both hands and transfer objects from one hand to the other. They also master sitting alone, holding themselves up on their hands and knees, and rolling over.
Twelve Months
Between eight and 12 months babies begin chewing small pieces of finger food. They also reach with one hand, stack objects, poke with one finger and intentionally release objects from their hands. Crawling across the floor and up and down stairs, pulling to standing, as well as walking with adult support are skills of the 12-month-old child.
One-Year-Olds
One-year-olds begin feeding themselves with a spoon, drawing with the whole arm, carrying items and stacking two to four objects. Once molars are present 1-year-olds are able to chew more effectively. Through 24 months toddlers' speed of crawling improves, most are walking but still stumble or fall easily and they can throw items deliberately. This age group also sits well in a child-sized chair.
Two-Year-Olds
Two-year-olds learn to hold a cup or glass in one hand, use a fist grasp for drawing, pour into containers and increase stacking to six objects. They also walk more smoothly and improve running skills. Climbing stairs, balancing briefly on one foot, jumping with two feet, and throwing underhanded are also developed during this year.
Three-Year-Olds
Drawing skills improve in 3-year-olds as they exhibit a tripod grasp (thumb and two fingers) and are able to use vertical, horizontal and circular strokes. Threes also develop skills in buttoning, zipping, stacking up to eight objects, turning the pages of a book individually and rolling and squeezing clay. By age three, children can alternate feet walking up stairs, kick a large ball, peddle a tricycle and throw overhand.
Four-Year-Olds
Four-year-olds can form shapes and objects with dough, stack 10 or more objects, imitate some shapes and letters and thread small beads. They can also walk on a line, hop on one foot, peddle and steer a tricycle, climb ladders and run and jump smoothly.
Five-Year-Olds
Five-year-old children increase their control in writing, can cut on a line with scissors and establish hand dominance. Balance, hopping, cycling, climbing and running continue to improve, and children can walk backwards, turn somersaults and jump repeatedly with a forward motion.
References
- By the Ages: Behavior & Development of Children Pre-Birth through Eight; 2000; Allen and Marotz
- General Development Sequence Toddler through Preschool
