Fine Motor Skills and How to Quick Test for Them

Fine Motor Skills Breakdown

Finger Isolations

• Moving one’s fingers independently of one another as when pointing or holding up a number on your fingers
• Activities to test skill:
  • 1) ask child to hold up their age or
  • 2) ask child to imitate the sequence of your fingers (any order of alphabetic sign language is easy if you’re familiar (‘V’, ‘Y’, ‘D’), otherwise I recommend (“thumbs up”, point with index only, “A-okay”, and the sign for “I love you”)
• It’s most important to have this skill on the dominant hand but it never hurts to practice on both sides

In Hand Manipulation (could be a combination of several skills)

• Moving an object within the hand without the use of the other hand or support from another object such as a table
• Activity to test skill: pick up a golf tee (or similar) and orienting it so it could be pushed through a small hole or piece of styrofoam

Shift

• Moving an object strictly with the pads of the fingers in a linear motion
• Activities to test skill:
  • 1) hold a pencil as if to write then push or “walk it” down until your fingers reach the eraser or
  • 2) thread a string through a large (1″+) bead/cube

Finger to Palm Translation

• Moving small objects one at a time from the fingers to the palm of the hand without dropping them or using the other hand
• Activity to test skill: move a coin from a pincer grasp position down to the palm and secure it with the ring and pinky fingers

Nesting/Side Hand Separation

• Securing several small objects within the palm of the hand using primarily the ring and pinky fingers, occasionally the middle finger
• Activity to test skill: pick up coins 1 at a time until holding 5+ coins at once while leaving the thumb and index finger available to pick up more objects
• This skill is important for developing fine motor precision (e.g. mature grasp patterns) because the hand has a distinct power side (outside/pinky side) and a precision side (thumb and index side) required for a variety of skills

Palm to Finger Translation

• Retrieving small objects one at a time from the palm of the hand to bring to the fingers
• Activity to test skill: hold 3+ coins in the palm of the hand, individually manipulate them into place between your thumb and pointer finger to place in a piggy bank or vending machine without the use of the other hand

Simple Rotation

• Turning, twisting, or rolling an object between the pads of fingers (approximately 90 degrees maximum)
• Activities to test skill:
  • 1) spin a top or
  • 2) twist a cap off a water bottle

Complex Rotation

• Turning or flipping an object with control between 180-360 degrees
• Activities to test skill:
  • 1) hold a pencil as if writing then flip to use the eraser to correct a mistake or
  • 2) turn a double-sided crayon over to use the other color

Forearm Rotation (Pronation/Supination)

• Rotating your arm from palm down to palm up and back to palm down (ideally with your elbow at 90 degrees)
• Activity to test skill: flipping cards over from the top of the deck

Wrist Mobility (Flexion/Extension/Deviation)

• Moving your wrist in a variety of directions
• Activities to test flexion/extension:
  • 1) knocking on a door
  • 2) making puppy dog paws by flopping hands forward (flexion)
  • 3) pretend to (or actually) hold a large tray like a waiter (extension)
• Activity to test deviation: wipe up a wet spot on a window without moving your elbow or shoulder

Did you know all this about fine motor skills?

So, I’m guessing there were way more components of fine motor skills than you even realized but if you or your little one was struggling with something before reading this, hopefully you have a better idea what skill(s) might be lacking and start doing some targeted activities to improve your skills!

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