Motor Skills

Motor skills are motions carried out when the brain, nervous system, and muscles work together. They are often grouped into two categories: fine and gross motor skills.

Motor skills are essential in a child’s development and will affect their day to day life, including school work, if they are delayed. Do not underestimate their importance and how much your child is learning when it looks like they are “just playing.”

Fine Motor Skills:

Fine motor skills are small movements, such as picking up a piece of cereal off of a high chair tray or holding a pencil, that use the small muscles of the fingers, toes, wrists, lips, or tongue.

Examples of fine motor skills to practice:

(Remember: guide them how to do these tasks, but don’t do it for them)

Scooping cookie dough and putting it on a baking sheet
Taking apart Legos (Don’t let them use their teeth!)
Using a fork, spoon, knife, or chop sticks
Making the sign of the cross before and after a prayer
Drawing, coloring, painting (watercolor, acrylic, finger painting)
Putting butter, jelly, or peanut butter on a piece of bread/toast
Snaps, buttons, zippers, or clasps on clothing
Putting a straw into a juice box
Folding clothes
Blowing bubbles
Opening pistachio shells (Hint: use an already opened pistachio shell to pry open those stubborn pistachios that are difficult to pull apart)
Cracking open a raw egg
Peeling a hard boiled egg
Game: “Perfection” or “Operation”
Game: “Uno” or other card game – especially when they are holding their fanned out cards in one hand

Gross Motor Skills

Gross motor skills are bigger movements, such as rolling over or kicking a soccer ball, that use the large muscles in the arms, legs, and torso.

Examples of gross motor skills to practice:

Playing on a playground set
Riding a scooter or bike
Playing a sport involving a ball
Swimming
Gymnastics
Hiking
Climbing a tree
Roller skating
Skipping
Jumping
Running
Mowing the lawn
Planting a garden
Carrying groceries into the house from the car