Typical Fine Motor Developmental Milestones for Ages 0-6

This list is the average age a child should meet these milestones, some may hit them before or others later. If you feel like your child is significantly behind in their fine motor development, please talk to your pediatrician or family doctor. This list is not meant to be used to diagnose, simply as information to keep in mind.

Typical Fine Motor Developmental Milestones Ages 0-6

0-3 months old

• Hands are in a fisted position
• Arms movements are random and not controlled
• Will watch the movement of their hands and brings hands to their mouth
• Will swing at targets (toys, person) using their whole arm
• Will follow a person's movements with their eyes
• Will begin to hold objects in their hands

3-6 months

• Reaches for toys using both arms
• Begins to transfer objects from one hand to another
• Will hold their hands together
• Begins to notice objects a few feet away from them

6-9 months old

• Begins to grasp & hold onto objects
• Uses a raking grasp to move objects with fingers
• Looking for one object while holding another
• Pokes at objects using their index finger
• Take objects to their mouth
• Explore textures and sensory input with their mouths
• Begin to hold their bottle
• Squeezes objects with their fist
• Play with their own hands

9-12 months old

• Begins to feed themselves finger foods
• Will turn pages in a book a few pages at a time
• Begins to put small objects in a cup or container
• Pincer grasp develops (using index finger and thumb to grasp objects)
• Transfers objects between hands (beginning of crossing midline skills)
• Grabs crayons with a fisted grasp
• Can hold two small objects in one hand
• Begins to show a preference for one hand over the other (beginning development of right-handed vs. left-handed)

12-18 months old

• Can build a tower of 2 blocks high
• Claps hands together (beginning of bilateral coordination!)
• Waves goodbye
• Can scoop  objects with a spoon or small shovel
• Bangs objects together using both hands (beginning of bilateral coordination!)
• Puts small objects into a container
• Scribbles with crayons on paper

18 Months – 2 years old

• Putting rings on pegs
• Begins holding a crayon with fingertips and thumb
• Removing pegs from a pegboard
• Marks or scribbles with a crayon or pencil
• Can build a tower 3-4 blocks high
• Can open loosely wrapped packages or containers
• Begins to start cutting paper with scissors (closer to 2 years old)
• Can turn pages in a book one page at a time

2 Years old

• Manipulates clay or play dough
• Can stack a block tower 9 blocks high
• Can turn doorknobs
• Can pick up small objects with pincer grasp (index finger and thumb)
• Can complete 3 piece puzzles
• Scribbles
• Make snips on paper with scissors
• Will wash hands independently
• Can screw lids on containers on and off
• Can string large beads
• Zips and unzips large zippers
• Can use a spoon correctly

3 Years Old

• Can draw a circle after being shown model
• Cuts a piece of paper in half
• Copies prewriting lines of vertical, horizontal, and circle shapes
• Laces a card
• Can unbutton large buttons
• Can cut along a wide line with 1/2″ accuracy
• Will string 1/2 inch beads
• Cuts along a line with no more than 1/8-1/4 inch deviation from the line
• Sorts objects
• Will fasten and unfasten large buttons

4 Years Old

• Can copy cross shapes, right and left oblique lines “/” “\”, square and X shapes
• Can touch the tip of each finger to their thumb
• Can color within a picture with no more than 1/4″ deviations from the coloring lines
• Can cut big circles with scissors
• Can move the paper while cutting along a line
• Completes puzzles of 4-5 pieces
• Can use a fork correctly
• Can get dressed and undressed without help
• Uses dominate hand

5 Years Old

• Grasps a pencil correctly
• Begins to print their name
• Copies a triangle shape
• Cuts out a circle
• Opens a lock with a key
• Draw a diamond shape when given a model
• Draws a person with at least 6 different body parts
• Can lace their shoes

6 Years Old

• Can copy first name
• Builds a small structure with blocks
• Can put a 16-20 piece puzzle together
• Uses a knife to cut food
• Cuts well with scissors, no deviations from the cutting line
• Prints 3 or more simple words
• Can print all numbers 0-9
• Can print all letters of the alphabet, upper case and lower case

Resources:

Developmental Milestones

Fine Motor Milestones 

Peabody Developmental Motor Scale (PDMS-2)

Occupational Therapy for Children And Adolescents, Jane Case-Smith & Jane Clifford O-Brien

My friend Angela at Teaching Mama also has some great fine motor activity ideas.

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