Red Flags of Fine Motor Difficulties

2 checks between your child's age range and the range before their current age
suggest your child may benefit from Fine Motor intervention.

6-12 months

Is not able to use the thumb and one finger to pick something up

Does not transfer objects from one hand to the other

Is not able to use the index finger to poke something

Is not able to scribble with a crayon

1-2 years

Has difficulty turning pages of a cardboard book

Is unable to turn a knob

Is not independently holding and drinking from an open-lid cup

Is not able to spoon food into mouth

Is not able to build a 6-cube tower by 23 months

Anchor 1

Is not able to consistently imitate circular and vertical scribbles by 20 months

Anchor 4

Anchor 2

Anchor 5

3-4 years

Cannot build a tower of 9 small blocks

Has difficulty imitating a cross shape and copying a circle

Does not often use the non dominant hand to assist and stabilize objects

Is not able to screw and unscrew a nut and bolt

4-5 years

Is unable to draw a person with 3-parts by 4 years old and 6 parts by 5 years old

Cannot write numbers 1-10 with correct sequence and orientation

Does not have an established dominant hand by 5 years old

Has difficulty cutting on a straight line

Has difficulty writing their name and copying letters

Cannot draw within vertical and horizontal pathways

Anchor 3

Anchor 6

5-6 years

Is unable to tie a knot

Shows inconsistent hand dominance

Has difficulty drawing a triangle and square

Cannot draw a basic picture or color in the lines

Does not use a 3-fingered grasp on the pencil with fingers generating movement of the pencil

Cannot consistently show their right hand

6 years and older

Does not form all letters and numbers correctly (not writing with top-to-bottom strokes)

Red Flags of Fine Motor Difficulties

2 checks between your child's age range and the range before their current age suggest your child may benefit from Fine Motor intervention.

Jump to:

6-12 months

Is not able to use the thumb and one finger to pick something up

Does not transfer objects from one hand to the other

Is not able to use the index finger to poke something

Is not able to scribble with a crayon

1-2 years

Has difficulty turning pages of a cardboard book

Is unable to turn a knob

Is not independently holding and drinking from an open-lid cup

Is not able to spoon food into mouth

Is not able to build a 6-cube tower by 23 months

Is not able to consistently imitate circular and vertical scribbles by 20 months

3-4 years

Cannot build a tower of 9 small blocks

Has difficulty imitating a cross shape and copying a circle

Does not often use the non dominant hand to assist and stabilize objects

Is not able to screw and unscrew a nut and bolt

4-5 years

Is unable to draw a person with 3-parts by 4 years old and 6 parts by 5 years old

Cannot write numbers 1-10 with correct sequence and orientation

Does not have an established dominant hand by 5 years old

Has difficulty cutting on a straight line

Has difficulty writing their name and copying letters

Cannot draw within vertical and horizontal pathways

5-6 years

Is unable to tie a knot

Shows inconsistent hand dominance

Has difficulty drawing a triangle and square

Cannot draw a basic picture or color in the lines

Does not use a 3-fingered grasp on the pencil with fingers generating movement of the pencil

Cannot consistently show their right hand

6 years and older

Does not form all letters and numbers correctly (not writing with top-to-bottom strokes)

Does not write consistently on the lines

Their hand gets tired when writing or coloring

Cannot tie their shoes independently

Tries to avoid drawing, writing, cutting, or coloring

Immature/awkward grasp on pencil or scissors

Drops things easily

Writing pressure it too heavy or too light

2 checks between your child's age range and the range before their current age
suggest your child may benefit from Fine Motor intervention.