Motor development begins at birth and continues through childhood. This development includes gross motor skills (sitting, crawling, walking) and fine motor skills (grasping, picking up, rolling objects). While children develop at differing rates, there are general guidelines for developmental milestones. Children exhibiting delays in their fine or gross motor development should be evaluated for early intervention services.
The First Year
In their first year, babies make a tremendous amount of growth in their motor skills. They begin with basic skills such as grasping and sucking, move on to lifting their heads and progress to rolling over. From there, babies pull up onto furniture, reach for and move toward objects and explore materials by putting them in their mouths. Babies learn to sit independently, which leads to the mobility of scooting and crawling. They learn to transfer objects from one hand to the other, pick up items and drop them, as well as rolling and throwing objects such as balls. Some children begin walking before they turn one, while others wait a bit longer.
One to Two Years
During this stage, children are referred to as toddlers, as they often walk with an unsteady or toddling gait. They develop the ability to walk backwards, bend over to pick up items from a standing position, and sit down in a chair independently. These skills rely on improvements in balance and strength. One-year-olds love to push and pull objects, especially if they make noise. Moving to the beat or rhythm of music also develops. Fine motor skills related to eye-hand coordination are a big part of the toddler skill development. These include scribbling, painting with a large arm movement, turning knobs and handles, turning pages of a book and stacking rings.
Two to Three Years
Two-year-olds' gross motor skills improve with an increase in speed and balance. Children develop the strength to balance on one foot with support, walk on their tiptoes, jump with both feet together and run. Their improved balance also allows them to learn how to kick a ball. Improvements in the control and strength of fine motor muscles allows children to turn the pages of a book one at a time; manipulate clay or play dough by rolling, squeezing and pulling it; and put large beads on a string. They are able to draw circles, dots and lines and paint using the wrist movement instead of the whole arm.
Three to Four Years
Agility, balance and speed continue to increase as children maneuver around obstacles, throw and catch large balls, push and pull toys, balance on one foot without support, ride a tricycle and go down a slide independently. Control of fine motor muscles allows them to build blocks into a high tower, hammer pegs into holes, draw crosses and make more precise items out of clay or play dough.
Four to Five Years
Motor development at this stage has children walking backwards, jumping forward, hopping on one foot and alternating feet as they walk up and down stairs. They begin to snip and cut with scissors, copy basic shapes and drawings and write capital letters.
Continued Growth
Children continue to refine and enhance their motor skills throughout their elementary school years. Physical Education classes, recreational sports, active play and access to writing and drawing tools are important contributors to this ongoing development. Occupational and physical therapists should be consulted when children exhibit delays in their motor development.
