How to support your child to develop their gross and fine motor skills.

All children develop at their own rate when it comes to their gross and fine motor skills. There is not such thing as one child doing better than another. All children are different. Do not compare them.

This is what I hear and it infuriates me…

‘So and so’s daughter is only 2 and she’s doing 48 piece puzzles by herself!’

First of all - good for her.

Second of all - do you know that to really be true?

And finally - who cares?

Not me. And neither should you

My son was doing two piece puzzles up until yesterday. He is 28 months old. Today he mastered an 8 piece puzzle and managed to complete it all by himself. I tell you this because it really doesn’t bother me that many of my own students who are the same age or slightly younger than my son are completing 12 piece puzzles with ease.

Gross motor skills are simply larger movements that use the bodies larger muscles eg. running and jumping.

Fine motor skills are simply smaller movements that use the hands, fingers, wrists, ankles, feet, and toes.

This explains it very well if you’d like some bed time reading!

The best way to support your child with developing their gross and fine motor skills is by providing them with endless opportunities to be able to practise daily. If you want to support your child with their gross and fine motor skills you will want to provide them with activities that will allow them to develop them. Eg. Materials that they can hold, squeeze, grip, throw, poke. Putting pegs on a washing line, applying buttons to pieces of paper and opportunities to touch sand and water will all support your child with developing their gross and fine motor skills.

Fine and gross motor skills are very important because they are the fundamentals for holding pencils and paintbrushes and for developing literacy skills when your child is older.

When I see children who lack gross and fine motor skills (unless they have a condition or course), I know it is because they haven’t been exposed to enough opportunities to be able to develop them to the level needed. No judgement at all. I know I could do way more with my son in terms of both gross and fine motor skills development. I don’t have a sand or water tray but he has this at nursery. I don’t do much painting with him and I’ve not started button work with him yet.

That’s ok, I will soon. This blog is not meant to be judgemental in any way. Rather an informative body of information should you want to ensure that you are doing everything possible to support your child with developing their gross and fine motor skills.