Learn more about how Rock Therapeutic Services can help your child with bilateral hand coordination, in-hand manipulation, and much more!
What is Fine Motor Therapy?
You may have heard your occupational therapist discuss fine motor skills and dexterity when discussing your child’s occupational therapy (OT) goals. When our OTs talk about fine motor skills, we refer to the small muscles in the hands and fingers. In terms of dexterity, they refer to the ability to manipulate objects efficiently. Dexterity and fine motor skills are vital to support a child’s independence with tasks like dressing or feeding themselves.
Contact our Seattle Speech Therapists for your consultation.
How We Can Help.
Examples of fine motor areas that our OTs will target:
Common Questions & Helpful FAQs
Why are fine motor skills important for children?
Fine motor skills are necessary for performing their everyday academic, play, and self-care skills. Since fine motor skills involve the movement of small muscles that control the hand, fingers, and thumb, they help children perform important tasks like feeding themselves, grasping toys, and buttoning clothes.
What are activities that I can do with my child to build fine motor skills at home?
Please note that you may have to adapt these activities per your child’s fine motor skill level. Ask our occupational therapists for more activities!
- Mold and roll Play-Doh into balls – Your child can use the palms of their hands facing each other and, with fingers curled slightly, move the Play-Doh to create small sphere-shaped balls.
- Use pegs, chopsticks, or toothpicks to make designs in Play-Doh.
- Tear newspaper into strips and crumple them into balls. Use paper balls as stuffing for scarecrows, paper turkeys, or puppets.
- Attempt to turn over cards, coins, checkers, or buttons without bringing them to the table’s edge.
- Cut up junk mail, shredded paper, or straws.
What are some indicators I should watch for as I watch my child master, or struggle to master different fine motor skills?
A child might exhibit many different indicators when they have a fine motor delay.
Younger children with fine motor delays may not show interest in grasping objects, have poor hand-eye coordination, and appear rather clumsy. In the case of an older or preschool-aged child with a fine motor delay, they may have difficulties picking up and manipulating objects, have issues scribbling on
paper and avoid activities like drawing or writing.
Fine motor delays can be exhibited differently for each child.
If left untreated, what can a fine motor delay lead to?
Fine motor delays exhibit differently for each child. If a fine motor delay were left untreated, it could lead to the inability to meet preschool or school-aged academic criteria, difficulties writing their names, drawing age-appropriate shapes, and difficulty manipulating items for construction.
It is best to speak with your pediatrician and occupational therapist if you notice any fine motor delays in
your child.
How are fine motor delays diagnosed?
After speaking with your pediatrician with your concerns, they will recommend you see a pediatric occupational therapist. Our occupational therapists will conduct an evaluation of your child that will test postural control, hand dominance, and overall strength and muscle tone. Our evaluation will also consist
of a sensory profile filled out by the parent, caregiver, or guardian. Our occupational therapists will assess the data collected at the evaluation, and inform you of the results.
