Motor Skills in Your Child
Motor skills are important for everyday function. Motor skills impact self-care, play, school and almost everything between! Here are developmental milestones to look for in your kids.
Birth to 3 months
Emerging Skills
· Pushes up on arms and lifts head when position on tummy
· Brings both hands to mouth
· Moves legs and arms off of surface when positioned on tummy
· Grasps objects without purposeful control over release
Red Flags
· Flattening of the back or side of head
· Preferring to turn head to one side only
3-6 months
Emerging Skills
· Pushes up on arms when on tummy
· Plays with feet and brings feet to mouth when positioned on back
· Begins to roll
· Begins to sit with support
· Begins to rock on hands and knees
· Reaches for and holds toy or object briefly
Red Flags
· Arching when on back
· Using only one hand to reach or using only one side of body
· Keeping one or both hands tightly clenched all the time
6-12 months
Emerging Skills
· Rolls independently
· Sits independently
· Begins to crawl
· Begins to pull up to stand
· Pivots in sitting to reach for objects
· Cruises or walks sideways along furniture
· Crawls up steps with supervision
· Begins to take steps without support
· Transfers objects from one hand to the other
· Releases an object from hand with control
· Bangs objects together
· Holds out arm or leg to help with dressing
Red Flags
· Scooting instead of crawling
· Not bearing any weight on feet
· Frequent standing on tip toes
· Not bringing hands together at midline
· Difficulty grasping and releasing toys in a controlled way
12-18 months
Emerging Skills
· Sits in a variety of positions on the floor
· Stands without support
· Walks independently
· Puts objects into containers
· Uses both hands in play
· Points at objects
· Scribbles with crayon
Red Flags
· Falls frequently
· Little interest in motor exploration
· Frequent toe walking
18-24 months
Emerging Skills
· Builds tower of a few blocks
· Picks up and releases objects
· Begins to complete shape sorter
· Grasps crayon with whole hand
· Begins to imitate strokes with crayon
· Kicks and throws a ball
Red Flags
· Fearful of swings
· Falls frequently
· Little interest in motor exploration
2-3 years
Emerging Skills
· Makes a tower of several blocks
· Snips with scissors
· Imitates simple lines with crayon
· Strings beads
· Begins to balance on one foot
· Throws a ball toward a target
Red Flags
· Difficulty using two hands together for play or functional tasks
· Unable to jump
3-5 years
Emerging Skills
· Stands on one foot
· Uses a tripod grasp on crayons
· Begins to imitate and write name
· Cuts on a line with scissors
· Dresses and undresses independently
Red Flags
· Little interest in motor exploration
· Difficulty grasping crayons or scissors
· Difficulty imitating lines and shapes with crayon
Information taken from theinspiredtreehouse.com
If you have concerns regarding your child’s motor skills, we can help!
Call us at 651-636-4155