7.5 Motor Skill Development

Early childhood is a time when children are especially attracted to motion and song. Days are filled with jumping, running, swinging and clapping and every place becomes a playground. Even the booth at a restaurant affords the opportunity to slide around in the seat or disappear underneath and imagine being a sea creature in a cave! Of course, this can be frustrating to a caregiver, but it’s the business of early childhood.

7.5.1 Gross Motor Skills in Early Childhood

Children continue to improve their gross motor skills as they run and jump. They frequently ask their caregivers to “look at me” while they hop or roll down a hill. Children’s songs are often accompanied by arm and leg movements or cues to turn around or move from left to right.

7.5.1.1 Gross Motor Milestones

Here is a table showing the progression of gross motor skills that children will typically develop during early childhood:

Table 7.2: Gross Motor Milestones²⁶⁹

Typical Age	What Most Children Do by This Age
3 years	Climbs well
3 years	Runs easily
3 years	Pedals a tricycle (3-wheel bike)
3 years	Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step
4 years	Hops and stands on one foot up to 2 seconds
4 years	Catches a bounced ball most of the time
5 years	Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer
5 years	Hops; may be able to skip
5 years	Can do a somersault
5 years	Can use the toilet on own
5 years	Swings and climbs

7.5.1.2 Activities to Support Gross Motor Skills

Here are some activities focused on play that young children enjoy and that support their gross motor skill development.

• Tricycle

• Slides

• Swings

• Sit-n-Spin

• Mini trampoline

• Bowling pins (can use plastic soda bottles also)

• Tent (try throwing blankets over chairs and other furniture to make a fort)

• Playground ladders

• Suspension bridge on playground

• Tunnels (try throwing a bean bag chair underneath for greater challenge)

• Ball play (kick, throw, catch)

• Simon Says

• Target games with bean bags, ball, etc.

• Dancing/moving to music

• Pushing self on scooter or skateboard while on stomach

Figure 7.5: Children riding tricycles together.²⁷⁰

7.5.2 Fine Motor Skills in Early Childhood

Fine motor skills are also being refined as they continue to develop more dexterity, strength, and endurance. Fine motor skills are very important as they are foundational to self-help skills and later academic abilities (such as writing).

7.5.2.1 Fine Motor Milestones

Here is a table showing how fine motor skills progress during early childhood for children that are typically developing.

Table 7.3: Fine Motor Milestones²⁷¹

Typical Age	What Most Children Do by This Age
3 years	Copies a circle with pencil or crayon
3 years	Turns book pages one at a time
3 years	Builds towers of more than 6 blocks
3 years	Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handle
4 years	Pours, cuts with supervision, and mashes own food
4 years	Draws a person with 2 to 4 body parts
4 years	Uses scissors
4 years	Starts to copy some capital letters
5 years	Can draw a person with at least 6 body parts
5 years	Can print some letters or numbers
5 years	Copies a triangle and other geometric shapes
5 years	Uses a fork and spoon and sometimes a table knife

7.5.2.2 Activities to Support Fine Motor Skills

Here are some fun activities that will help children continue to refine their fine motor abilities. Fine motor skills are slower to develop than gross motor skills, so it is important to have age appropriate expectations and play-based activities for children.

• Pouring water into a container

• Drawing and coloring

• Using scissors

• Finger painting

• Fingerplays and songs (such as the Itsy, Bitsy Spider)

• Play dough

• Lacing and beading

• Practicing with large tweezers, tongs, and eye droppers

Figure 7.6: Children coloring.²⁷²

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269. Developmental Milestones by the CDC is in the public domain↩︎

270. Image by Hanscom Air Force Base is in the public domain↩︎

271. Developmental Milestones by the CDC is in the public domain↩︎

272. Image by Spangdahlem Air Base is in the public domain↩︎