Fine Motor Development Checklist

Instructions: Answer all questions up to your child’s current age bracket by answering ‘Yes’ on ‘No’.

Interpretation: If you tick 2 or more boxes with a ‘Yes’ contact Kid Sense Child Development on 1800 KIDSENSE (1800 543 736).

Does your child have difficulty with:

Age	Skill	Yes	No
0-6 months	Demonstrating a reflexive grasp when objects are placed in hand.
	Reaching for and grasping objects.
	Mastering controlled reach (6 months).
	Holding objects in the palm of 2 hands (by 3 months) or palm of one hand (by 5 months).
	Recovering an object dropped within their visual field, by feel, or hear it within reaching range.
6-12 months	Reaching and grasping to put objects in mouth.
	Demonstrating controlled release of objects.
	Picking up small objects with thumb and one finger.
	Transferring objects from one hand to the other.
	Banging 2 cubes held in hands, both objects together in the body's mid-line.
	Poking and pointing with the index finger.
	Recovering an object dropped within their visual field, by feel, or hear it within reaching range.
1-2 years	Building a tower of three small blocks.
	Putting rings on a stick.
	Turning pages of a book (two or three at a time).
	Turning knobs.
	Painting using whole arm movements to make strokes.
	Eating independently (minimal assistance ok).
	Signing to communicate wants and needs.
	Bringing a spoon to mouth.
	Holding and drinking from cup independently.
	Picking up small objects with thumb and one finger.
	Putting shapes into a shape sorter without assistance.
2-3 years	Stringing 3-4 large beads.
	Building a tower of 3-5 small blocks.
	Copying a simple sequence of coloured blocks in a tower.
	Turning single pages in a book.
	Making snips with scissors.
	Holding a crayon with thumb and fingers.
	Using one hand consistently for most activities.
	Imitating circular, vertical and horizontal strokes.
	Eating without assistance.
	Picking up small objects with thumb and one finger.
	Completing insert puzzles.
3-4 years	Building a tower of approximately nine small blocks.
	Copying block designs of up to 6 blocks.
	Opening zip lock bags, containers and lunch boxes.
	Tracing on thick lines.
	Using one hand consistently for most activities.
	Copying a circle or imitating a cross.
	Holding a pencil with thumb and fingers on opposite sides of the pencil.
	Using the non-dominant hand to assist and stabilise objects.
	Threading a sequence of small beads onto string.
	Cutting roughly around pictures.
	Completing 4-6 pc interlocking puzzles.
	Co-ordinating hands to brush teeth or hair.
	Dressing independently including large buttons, socks and shoes (excluding shoelaces, small buttons and initiating zip on a jacket).
4-5 years	Cutting along a line continuously.
	Coordinating hands to brush teeth or hair.
	Copying 9 block models.
	Designing own Duplo models.
	Copying a circle, cross and a square.
	Holding the pencil with a tripod grasp (3pt grasp).
	Colouring inside the lines.
	Colouring an entire picture.
	Writing their name.
	Tracing on a line with control.
	Copying numbers 1-5.
	Copying letters.
	Using a preferred hand for most activities.
	Dressing and undressing independently (excluding shoe laces).
	Copying simple pictures using geometric shapes.
	Independently attempting to draw a range of pictures.
	Opening zip lock bags, containers and lunch boxes.
	Completing 8-12 pc interlocking puzzle.
5-6 years	Cutting out simple shapes.
	Coordinating hands to brush teeth or hair.
	Designing own Lego models.
	Dressing and undressing independently (excluding shoe laces).
	Writing numbers 1-10 independently.
	Self generating letters independently.
	Copying a triangle.
	Coloring with in the lines.
	Holding a pencil with a 3 fingered grasp and generating movement from fingers (not wrist).
	Cut and paste projects.
	Drawing basic pictures.
	Opening zip lock bags, containers and lunch boxes.
	Using knife and fork for soft foods.
	Completing a 20pc puzzle.
6-7 years	Forming letters and numbers correctly.
	Opening zip lock bags, containers and lunch boxes.
	Dressing and toileting independently.
	Cutting neatly around shapes.
	Completing a 20pc puzzle.
	Holding a pencil with a 3 fingered grasp and generate movement from fingers (not wrist).
	Writing on the lines.
	Pencil control.
	Endurance for writing tasks.
	Building Lego, K'nex and other blocks.
	Using knife and fork for soft foods.
	Drawing detailed pictures with recognisable objects.
	Tying shoelaces.
7-8 years	Writing neatly.
	Holding a pencil with a 3 fingered grasp and generate movement from fingers (not wrist).
	Maintain legibility of handwriting for entirety of a story.
	Cutting neatly around shapes.
	Dressing and toileting independently.
	Building Lego, K'nex and other blocks.
	Using knife and fork for most foods.
	Forming letters and numbers correctly.
	Completing more complex puzzles.
	Drawing detailed pictures with recognizable objects.
	Tying shoelaces.

This checklist was designed to serve as a functional screening of developmental skills per age group. It does not constitute an assessment nor reflect strictly standardised research.

The information in this checklist was compiled over many years from a variety of sources. This information was then further shaped by years of clinical practice as well as therapeutic consultation with child care, kindergarten and school teachers in South Australia about the developmental skills necessary for children to meet the demands of these educational environments. In more recent years, it has been further modified by the need for children and their teachers to meet the functional Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) requirements that are not always congruent with standardised research.