Fine & Gross Motor Strength & Skills
FINE MOTOR SKILLS
Fine motor skills involve the use of precise and coordinated movements of the fingers to perform hand use tasks. Fine motor skills are necessary for completing daily tasks such as dressing (using buttons/zippers), feeding (using mealtime utensils), being a student (using a pencil, keyboard, or scissors), and leisure/play activities (drawing, playing many musical instruments).
HOW DOES IT IMPACT SCHOOL FUNCTION
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Holding writing utensils (immature grasp)
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Poor handwriting
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Scribbly drawing
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Cutting with scissors
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Turning the pages of books
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Opening snacks/baggies/containers
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Self-dressing (buttoning, zipping, snapping, buckling)
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Typing
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Difficulty using both hands at once
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Difficulty picking up small objects
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Messy or slow drawing, coloring, or writing skills.
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Fatigue with fine motor tasks
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Frustration leading to avoidance or refusal to participate in fine motor tasks
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Decreased self-esteem
GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
Gross motor skills involve movements of the large muscles of the arms, legs, and torso. People rely on gross motor skills for activities at school, at work, at home, and in their everyday lives. People who struggle with gross motor skills have trouble doing whole-body movements like running and jumping.
Between the ages of 3 - 4 years, your child WILL:
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Build a tower of 9-10 small blocks
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Copy block designs of up to 6 blocks
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Use playdough to make balls, snakes, cookies, etc.
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Build things with large linking blocks, such as Megablocks or Duplo
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Thread a sequence of small beads onto a string
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Complete 4-6 pc interlocking puzzles
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Hold a pencil with thumb and fingers on opposite sides of the pencil
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Use one hand consistently for most activities
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Use the non-dominant hand to assist and stabilize objects
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Trace on thick lines
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Draw a circle by herself
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Copy a cross (+)
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Imitate you drawing a square
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Start to hold a crayon or pencil with a mature grasp (like an adult)
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Cut across a piece of paper
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Start to cut along a straight line
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Cut roughly around pictures
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Put on most items of clothing by herself, but may still need help with shirts and jackets
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Manage buttons
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Dress independently including large buttons, socks and shoes (excluding shoelaces, small buttons and initiating zip on a jacket)
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Feed himself well with a spoon and fork
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Open zip lock bags, containers and lunch boxes
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Coordinate hands to brush teeth or hair
Between the ages of 3 - 4 years, your SHOULD:
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Run around obstacles
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Run with control
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Walk in a line
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Balance on one foot for 5 – 10 seconds
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Hop on her preferred foot
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Pedal a tricycle
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Walk up and down stairs with alternating feet
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Jump from 12 inches with feet together
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Jump with two feet together 5 times in a row
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Use a slide independently
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Climb on jungle gym and ladders
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Transition into different positions (e.g. sitting, all fours, lying on tummy)
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Imitate simple bilateral movements of limbs (e.g. arms up together)
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Pick up toys from the floor without falling over
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Throw objects with an overarm action at a target.
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Catch a ball (using the whole body, not just arms)
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