Paige Flamm

If you’re wondering whether or not your child’s fine motor skills are developing appropriately, here is a list of fine motor skills for each age. If you have a concern that your child is not meeting their milestones on time, a licensed occupational therapist will be able to help determine if intervention might be needed.

Newborn Fine Motor Skills (0-6 Months):

Reflexively grasps objects that are put into their hand
Reaches and grasps for objects/toys
Holding objects in the palm of two hands (3 months)
Holding objects in the palm of one hand (5 months)
Can find an object when dropped nearby

6-12 Month Fine Motor Skills:

Brings objects to mouth or midline
Releases objects from hand in a controlled manner
Can pick up small objects like cheerios with their thumb and pointer finger, often called a pincer grasp (looks like they’re pinching)
Can transfer objects from one hand to another
Pointing with index finger
Clapping hands or objects together

Fine Motor Skills For 1-2 Years:

Stacks three blocks
Place rings on stacking toy
Turns pages of board book or other thick paged books
Starts turning doorknobs
Painting/Drawing with whole arm movements
Begins independent eating (using utensils but not very efficient)
Brings spoon to mouth
Drinking from a straw or open cup independently and minimal spilling
Completes shape sorter without assistance

Fine Motor Skills For 2-3 Years:

String 3-4 beads
Build a tower of 3-5 blocks
Can imitate simple patterns
Turn single pages in a book with thin pages
Begins to cut/snip with scissors
Uses one hand consistently
Can imitate drawing circular, horizontal, and vertical lines on a paper
Eats independently
Can complete simple wooden inset puzzles

Fine Motor Skills for 3-4 Years:

Copy block designs up to six blocks
Open plastic bags and lunch containers
Tracing lines
Copy drawing a circle or a cross
Using non-dominant hand to assist in balancing and stabilizing objects
String a simple pattern of beads
Roughly cut out multiple shapes
Complete 4-6 piece interlocking puzzles
Brush hair and teeth
Dress independently: fastening large buttons and donning socks, and shoes

Fine Motor Skills for 4-5 Years:

Can cut along continuous line
Builds with legos
Hold a pencil in a tripod grasp
Begin to color inside lines
Write their name
Copy numbers 1-5
Copy some or all letters
Dress and undress with minimal assistance
Copy drawing simple pictures
Independently draw pictures
Complete 8-12 piece interlocking puzzle

Fine Motor Skills for 5-6 Years:

Cut out simple shapes
Starts building with legos
Write numbers 1-10 independently
Write letters independently
Copy a triangle
Color in the lines
Cut and paste projects
Draw basic pictures
Use knife and fork on soft foods
Complete a 20 piece puzzle

Fine Motor Skills for 6-7 Years:

Form letters and numbers correctly
Dressing independently
Cutting neatly around shapes
Writing on lines
Drawing more detailed pictures independently
Tying shoes independently

Fine Motor Skills for 7-8 Years:

Writes neatly
Maintains neat handwriting over a longer period of time
Cuts neatly around shapes
Complete more complex puzzles

These are just some of the major fine motor skills for each age. If you have a concern that your child is not meeting these milestones on time, please give our office a call to schedule a free consultation with one of our pediatric occupational therapists. They will be able to help guide you in the right direction and let you know if their services are needed.

Fine motor skills for each age