M - Motor Development

Getting in another A to Z Challenge blog ... I am four days behind. Oyi. I am not surprised since I am WAY behind on Camp NaNoWriMo. The life of being a mom, a writer, and a blogger is easier said than done. I am just thankful that I have children who are excited and supportive of my dreams. Watching them grow makes the long hours of working at home worth it. Which leads me to the topic today ... motor development.

When it comes to motor development, there are two types ... gross and fine.

• Fine - Small movements: fingers, wrists, toes, lips, tongue
• Gross - Big movements: walking, climbing, jumping, running

0 to 24 months

Fine motor skills: clasp hands, hold small objects, grasp for objects, moving items from one hand to the other, reaching for objects, intentionally dropping of items

Gross motor skills: waving, crawling, walking, climbing, beginning to jump

2 to 3 years

Fine motor skills: putting on clothes, using spoons and forks successfully, using scissors, drawing, learning correct grip
Gross motor skills: running, kicking, jumping, tip toe walking

3 to 4 years

Fine motor skills: building towers, copying shapes, using dough or clay
Gross motor skills: hopping, using a tricycle, throwing a ball, catching a ball

4 to 5 years

Fine motor skills: cutting on a line, coloring inside lines, beginning to write letters
Gross motor skills: basic tumbling, going up stairs with alternating feet (so one foot on a step)

We encourage our children's motor skills by giving them plenty of time for imaginative play, working in work books, and playing outside. All of our children have been ahead of the curve (except Monkey who was a little slower on the crawling and walking).

What about your children? How do you encourage motor skills (fine or gross)