Major milestones in the development of infant fine motor skills

Fine motor skills are the small movements young children make when they use their hands to draw, play, eat or pick up items. For infants, from birth to around 18 months, there are a few vital developmental milestones they must reach to fully promote healthy fine motor development. Here are a few engaging activities to play with infants as they develop through this stage of their lives:

• Birth to three months: Here, the majority of movement is relatively involuntary, according to Parents.com. To promote fine motor development at this age, begin encouraging them to grip small objects like rattles, pacifiers or even just your finger.
• Four to six months: During this time in babies' lives, they learn the crucial skill of combining thoughts and hand movements. Instead of the involuntary grasping seen in the previous stage, they become more intentional with their reaching, preferring certain toys or textures. Letting babies try to hold a soft block or small stuffed animal between their hands will strengthen their fine motor skills and get them ready to play with different types of toys.
• Seven to nine months: During this time, allow them to make messes or be enthusiastic when playing with their toys. Encourage independence and let them reach for their toys and learn to hold them more securely. 
• 10 to 12 months: This is the brilliant stage of development where babies begin to learn to operate their fingers separately of one another, readying themselves for later, harder tasks. Promote their fine motor development through getting them to softly turn pages in small, age-appropriate books during story time.

At ProSolutions Training, we offer a variety of online child care courses, such as Fine Motor Activities for Infants. Contact us today to learn more about our online courses and training.