Children start to use their hands right at birth to explore their own bodies and the world around them. Their fine motor skills develop as their bodies start to move more in different ways and become more stable in their movements.
During his third year child will be able to hold a crayon or pencil in his fingers instead of his fist, draw or color a picture, and copy simple lines. He will be able to cut paper with scissors, although not in a straight line; manipulate small objects; put together simple puzzles; and stack blocks. He will be able to turn the page of a book and begin to lace—but not tie—his shoes.
The two popular terms that come up when learning about fine motor skills in three year olds are fist grip and pincer grip. An example of a fist grip is when your child uses his whole hand and wraps it around a pencil to write his name. A pincer grip refers to the pinching muscles that use the thumb and pointer finger.
Even if your child has not mastered a fine motor skill it is never too late to teach him. Take the time to stop what you’re doing and show your child how to develop his skills.
Your child can get lots of practice with fine motor skills by engaging in simple activities such as zipping and unzipping zippers, picking up connecting blocks or finger foods, and stringing beads. Strengthening the pincer grasp is an important skill because it will prepare your child for holding pencils, markers, crayons, and paintbrushes, which support the development of prewriting skills.
Wrist control and finger strength are also important parts of ultimately mastering writing and drawing. Fitting pieces into a puzzle will develop dexterity of the hand and wrist.
All types of fine motor skills are important to practice. Practicing and mastering one f ine motor skill can lead to the development or refinement of another. Practice is key.
