Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of our fingers, hands, and arms. The development of these muscles will help your child perform activities for daily living (ADL) like hanging clothes, using cutlery, and preparing lunch. Fine motor skills are also necessary for academic success — including pencil manipulation, handwriting, keyboarding, cutting, and pasting.

The following building blocks are necessary to develop fine motor skills:

• Bilateral Integration: Using your two hands together.

• Crossing Mid-line: The ability to cross the imaginary line that divides the body into left and right sides.

• Hand and finger strength: The ability to exert force against resistance using for controlled movement.

• Eye hand coordination: The ability to process information received from the eyes to control, guide and direct the hands in the performance of the task.

• Hand Dominance: The consistent use of one hand for a task performance.

• Hand Division: Using the thumb, index and middle finger for manipulation and the fourth and little finger tucked into the palm for stability.

• Object Manipulation: The ability to skillfully manipulate and control everyday tools, such as a toothbrush, hairbrush, pencils, scissors, and cutlery.

• Body Awareness (Proprioception): Information that the brain receives from our muscles and joints to make us aware of our body position for more controlled movements.