Baby's Fine and Gross Motor Skills | A Physical Therapist Approved Guide

Motor development is essential for baby’s physical strength and movement. Motor skills are broken up into two categories: fine motor skills and gross motor skills. Both begin developing after birth and will progress as baby grows. This complete motor skills guide addresses the differences between fine and gross motor skills with examples and activities, and how baby develops these at 0-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 months old.
What are fine motor skills? These are movements involving small muscle groups, including those in the hand, like wrists and fingers, as well as eyes, lips, and tongue. Fine motor skills are important for sensory and communication development.
What are gross motor skills? These are movements related to large muscle groups, like legs, arms, and trunk. Gross motor skills are important for rolling, crawling, sitting up, walking, running, and jumping. To gain the control necessary to complete motor tasks, it’s important for baby to build strength in their muscles.
Learn the differences between fine and gross motor skills, how they develop, and examples and activities to help develop each.
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00:00 Motor skills are essential
00:22 How motor skills help
00:54 Infants and toddlers need your help to develop motor skills
01:06 What are fine and gross motor skills
01:25 Activities to promote motor development
01:33 0-3 months: practice swiping
2:00 4-6 months: play with textures
02:32 7-9 months: circle baby with toys
02:51 10-12 months: show baby their toys
03:19 Understanding fine motor skills
03:42 Fine motor and vision development
04:26 Fine motor and lip/tongue movement
05:23 Fine motor and hand, wrist, and finger muscles
05:36 0-3 months: open and close fists
05:52 4-6 months: transfers toy from one hand to the other
06:02 7-9 months: pickup small objects with thumb and all fingers
06:14 10-12 months: pickup small objects with thumb and pointer finger
06:45 How baby can strengthen fine motor skills
06:48 0-3 months: use rattle
06:56 4-6 months: play with toys that can close
07:03 7-9 months: wrap toys in newspaper
07:09 10-12 months: offer baby food on their highchair
07:20 13-18 months: paint with yogurt
07:41 19-24 months: use an apple as a paint stamp
08:00 2+ years: arts and crafts
8:44 Understanding gross motor skills
9:11 Learning how to move
09:25 Why the core is essential to baby’s motor function
10:16 Gross motor and baby’s arms
10:59 Gross motor and baby’s legs
11:56 How baby can strengthen their gross motor skills
12:00 0-3 months: Tummy Time
12:10 4-6 months: sit baby on lap and bounce them
12:19 7-9 months: create a leg tunnel to encourage crawling
12:31 10-12 months: reach for toys while standing
12:46 13-18 months: obstacle course
13:06 19-24 months: chase them around
13:25 2+ years: play hopscotch
#finemotorskills #grossmotorskills #motordevelopment #babydevelopment
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