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From grasping cereal to gripping crayons, tying shoes to writing full sentences—fine motor skills play a big role in your child’s daily life. These skills involve the coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers and are essential for independence, play, and school success.
Understanding fine motor developmental milestones can help you track your child’s progress and identify if they may benefit from extra support. Below is list of fine motor milestones to make sure that your child is up to speed with their skills:
Pre-Writing Skills
12-18 months: Children should typically be able to imitate spontaneous scribbles on a piece of paper with a thick marker.
19-24 months: Children should typically be able to imitate vertical strokes, horizontal strokes, and circles on a piece of paper.
2 ½ – 3 years: Children should typically be able to accurately copy vertical lines, horizontal lines, and circles.
4-5 years: Children should typically be able to copy a cross, square, triangle and ‘x.’ This is also the age to begin practicing the formation of the letters in your child’s name.
5 years: Children should typically have their hand dominance established for fine motor activities.
Writing Skills
6 years: Typically, children should be able to copy or write their name. By 6 years of age, they should also be able to write the alphabet without omitting letters. Children should be able to write the alphabet in uppercase and lowercase letters without switching forms throughout.
7 years: Children should no longer reverse the letters of the alphabet while writing (example: ‘b’ versus ‘d’). They should also use appropriate capital letters and punctuation to write complete sentences.
Encouraging Fine Motor Development at Home
Children build fine motor strength through play, exploration, and everyday activities. Here are some fun ways to support development at home:
- 🧩 Play with playdough or clay to build hand muscles
- 🖌️ Use paintbrushes, droppers, and tweezers for creative play
- 🧺 Practice dressing skills like buttoning, zipping, and lacing
- 🐒 Swing on monkey bars to improve hand strength and endurance
- ✏️ Encourage coloring, drawing, or tracing letters with praise—not pressure
When to Consider an Occupational Therapy Evaluation
If your child seems to be significantly behind in their fine motor milestones, avoids writing tasks, or struggles with coordination or hand strength, a pediatric occupational therapy evaluation may be helpful. Early support can improve skill development and confidence before school demands increase.
At North Shore Pediatric Therapy, our licensed occupational therapists provide individualized, play-based support to help children build the fine motor skills they need for everyday life and learning.
Get Support from NSPT
We specialize in helping children meet their developmental milestones through hands-on, personalized therapy sessions that are both fun and effective. Whether your child needs help with writing, scissor skills, or hand strength, we’re here to support their journey.
Ready to learn more? Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discover how occupational therapy can help your child thrive.
