The toddler years are when children make great strides in their fine motor skills and development. They transform from awkward babies who can barely pick up small objects and hold a spoon to capable little beings who can successfully feed themselves, scribble with intention and are beginning to participate in other self-help tasks.
Here’s what kind of fine motor skills can you expect your little one to achieve during their toddler years:
Between 12 to 18 months:
- Drinks from a cup
- Uses a spoon
- Marks on paper
- Dumps toys
- Inserts round blocks in shape sorter
Between 18 to 24 months:
- Stacks two blocks or more
- Takes things apart and put together
- Turns pages of a book
- Inserts square and triangle blocks in shape sorter
- Attempts to fold paper
Between 24 to 36 months:
- Threads beads
- Dresses and undresses with little help
- Attempts to draw shapes or objects
- Stacks 5 blocks
- Handles scissors
- Makes a cube train
- Imitates vertical and horizontal lines and circles
- Begins to hold pencil with thumb and forefinger
- Imitates a cross or X