Developmental
Timeline for Fine and Visual Motor Skills
3-0 to 3-11 years
• Strings ½” beads
• Builds nine-block tower with 1” cubes
• Demonstrates preferred hand in manipulations and tool use, but hand switching continues
• Holds pencil with first two fingers and thumb with good control
• Copies horizontal line and circle (3-0 years)
• Imitates cross
• Traces square
• Scribbles Imitates three block bridge
• Identifies body parts (toes, back, stomach, chin, knee, and neck)
• Unbuttons large and small (1” then 3/8” buttons)
• Snaps and unsnaps
• Unzips separating zipper; zips and unzips non-separating zipper
• Feeds self with little or no spillage
4.0 to 4.11 years old
• Stacks 10 cubes
• Threads ¼” beads
• Cuts on lines
• Uses preferred hand with better coordination
• Demonstrates an open web space in tripod pencil grasp
• Copies cross (4-1 years)
• Imitates and X
• Copies square (4-6)
• Colors pictures but still has difficulty remaining in lines
• Builds 6 cube pyramid
• Completes non-inset puzzle of 3 to 5 pieces
• Manages buttons completely
• Zips non-separating and separating zipper
• Laces shoes
5.0 to 5.11 years old
• Preferred hand used more consistent
• Sews through holes in sewing cards
• Cuts out circle
• Copies triangle (5-5)
• Traces letters
• Begins to copy first name
• Builds a 6 cube step
• Completes 12 to 15 piece puzzle
• Zips, unzips non-separating back zipper
• Begins to tie shoes
The above information was taken from the textbook Occupational Therapy for Children, 3rd edition. Edited by Jane Case-Smith, Anne S. Allen, and Pat Nuse Pratt, the Development of Pre-writing and Scissors Skills the Beery-Buktencia Test of Visual Motor Integration and Big Strokes for Little Folks.
