Why Fine Motor Skills Are Essential For Kids

Motor skills are the ability to move your body in a coordinated and purposeful way. This includes gross motor skills, which involve larger movements, and fine motor skills, which involve smaller movements.

Gross and fine motor skills develop in babyhood and continue to improve into childhood and beyond. Motor skills develop in a sequence, meaning that your baby must master one skill before learning a new one. For example, a baby must learn to hold their head up before they can sit unsupported.

Most babies start to develop gross motor skills around 4 to 6 months old. Your baby may start to sit unsupported and roll from their back to their front. By 9 months old, they can pull themselves up to stand, and may even take a few steps. Most babies start to walk independently around their first birthday.

Fine motor skills start to develop from birth as your baby learns to grasp objects and make purposeful movements with their hands. By around 4months old, they can bring both hands together to play with toys. By 9 to 12 months old, they can start picking up small objects such as cereal O’s with their thumb and first 2 fingers.

Motor skills are essential for your baby for serval reasons. Gross motor skills will help your baby develop strength and coordination, which are important for many daily activities such as sitting, standing, and walking. While fine motor skills help your baby develop the dexterity and control they need to perform tasks such as picking up small objects and turning pages in a book.

How to encourage motor development

There are several things you can do to help your baby develop their motor skills.

One way is to provide your little one with plenty of opportunities to practice. Place your baby on their tummy several times a day to help them or strengthen their neck and back muscles. Encourage them to reach for toys and try to grasp them. When they are old enough, give them small objects such as cereal to pick up and hold.

Another way to help your baby develop their motor skills is to stimulate their senses. Visual stimulation can be provided by hanging brightly colored toys in their line of sight. auditory (hearing) stimulation can be provided by singing and talking to them. Tactile (touch)stimulation can be provided by giving them different textures to touch and explore.