When children grow, it is imperative to ensure that their fine motor skills develop within a certain age range. Experts define fine motor skills as movements made by smaller muscles, including writing, grasping, holding, drawing, turning pages, holding items and typing on a keyboard. However, it may not be the same for every child as they are required to do some fine motor activities to tune their skills.
Shwetha Venkat, a parenting and lifestyle influencer from Bengaluru, shares how Vihaan, her three-year-old son, finds it slightly difficult to write but he scribbles. “He requires some help to write. To strengthen his hand muscles, I’m letting him play and squeeze play-dough and sort out jigsaw puzzles,” she says. “Every child takes their own time to develop skills. With these activities, I’m positive that he will be able to write soon,” Shwetha adds.
Fine motor skills milestones
Certain fine motor activities help a child enrich fine motor skills at different stages. Dr Akshay P Jadhav Consultant – Department of Pediatrics and Pediatrics super specialty, Belenus Champion Hospital, Bengaluru, explains the milestones in growing children that parents must take note of.
Dr Akshay mentions the importance of pincer grasp to develop a proper grasp. “The pincer grasp is entirely dependent on finger pressure senses. You can help them with it using safe toys like play dough (clay) to create shapes, finger painting and doing jigsaw puzzles,” he says.
Encouraging children to eat on their own when they turn two and a half to three years of age (preschool age) improves their grasp. “They can practice eating by holding a spoon. It is natural for them to spill food and it is fine. Parents need to ensure that the child is clasping the spoon with all fingers at first and then gradually holding the spoon with two fingers,” stresses Dr Akshay. “Learning how to tear chapati also helps.”
“The improvement depends on the child,” says Sheetal Agarwala, Founder and Director of Aarco Iris Montessori Houses, Bengaluru. During the preschool age they have very gross movements, but some children improve within a month or 15 days, after joining preschool. “If someone is struggling and it takes time, further intervention such as occupational therapy, may be needed. This helps us understand where the child is struggling,” said Agarwala.
Fine motor skills development delay; should you be worried?
If a child is a slow learner, there could be a delay in fine motor skills. It occurs if the child is not stimulated to perform the activities according to their age. “Parents with busy schedules often find it difficult to teach kids fine motor skills. But it is important to make time for it but don’t overdo it. It is better to manage expectations of the children,” Dr Akshay says.
It is important to consider some signs as a problem, however. “The thumb held inside the palm is called the cortical thumb (infolding of the thumbs). Two or three-month-olds have cortical thumbs because their muscles and limbs are still tight. If it persists, they need an evaluation,” explains Dr Sameer Sadawarte, HOD & Senior Consultant-Pediatrics & Neonatology, Fortis Hospital, Mumbai.
Without a functioning thumb, we cannot perform at least 40% of the activities, adds Dr Sadawarte.
If a child’s pincer grasp has not improved beyond two or three and a half years of age, it could also be a warning sign. “We should check eye-to-hand coordination and the nervous system. A child must be able to hold a spoon by three to four years of age, otherwise, it will be a problem,” says Dr Akshay.
Parents must remember not to put too much pressure on their children to improve their fine motor skills. “It is easy for parents to become anxious when their child doesn’t perform certain tasks like their peers. It only leads to more anxiety in the child. They must stop peer comparisons,” explains Dr Sameer.
Additionally, a child making a mistake for the first time should not be immediately labeled with a disorder, says Dr Akshay. “If in doubt, see a pediatrician and have a full evaluation. They need proper stimulation at the right time.” He adds that sending kids to preschools helps enrich their fine motor skills.
Activities to enrich fine motor skills
Agarwal lists out some of the activities that the parents can help practice with their preschool child at home. “Use whatever materials available at home – utensils, ladles, etc.”
- Clipping cloth pegs on a bowl – This teaches children how to press and release. They learn to exert pressure with their fingers (thumb and index finger) for the clip to open and release when clipping it on the rim of the bowl.
- Collecting table tennis balls from a pool and dropping it off in a dry place – This teaches picking and throwing. This can be done at home with a bucket and balls.
- Opening and closing lids of boxes – You can perform this using lightweight empty boxes or plastic bottles at home.
- Sorting out vegetables – Fill a bowl with potatoes and onions. Ask them to sort it out separately in two separate bowls.
Takeaways
Fine motor skills refer to the muscles in your body that perform tasks such as painting, drawing, turning pages, holding items and typing on a keyboard. At four years, a child must be able to hold pens and spoons, otherwise, the child needs intervention. Parents must practice the fine motor skill activities performed in school at home.
