Fine Motor Coordination

What is fine motor coordination?
– Fine motor coordination refers to the use and control of small muscles in the body in order to engage in various tasks requiring fine motor control and manipulation.
Why is it important?
– Fine motor coordination skills are important for tasks and skills such as copying shapes and letters, coloring, cutting, buttoning/zipping, and self-feeding. This foundational skill is important for kids to be able to plan out their motor actions to participate in age-appropriate activities.
Signs of fine motor coordination difficulties
– Coloring outside of the lines
– Unable to form smooth lines to copy shapes/letter
– Difficulty maneuvering pencils/crayons
– Difficulty with building blocks
– Trouble managing clothing fasteners (buttons, zippers, snaps, etc.)
– Difficulty with self-feeding
– Demonstrates clumsy/disorganized movements

                                                                               Fine Motor Milestones

How can I help my child develop fine motor coordination skills?
It is important to have your child engage in and become exposed to age-appropriate fine motor activities to begin to build their fine motor coordination skills starting from an early age.

Fine motor activities:

– Insert puzzles/pegs

– Lite-brite toy
– Coloring inside simple shapes
– Cutting along lines
– Navigating wide mazes
– Tracing shapes/pictures
– Connect the dots
– Stringing beads

If you have questions regarding your child’s development. Please call us at 410-358-1997. For more info on Pediatric Occupational Therapy click here