Fine motor skills involve the use of the smaller muscle of the hands, commonly in activities like using pencils, scissors, doing up buttons and opening lunch boxes.

Fine motor skill efficiency significantly influences the quality of the task outcome as well as the speed of task performance. Efficient fine motor skills require a number of independent skills to work together to appropriately manipulate the object or perform the task.

What skills do ‘fine motor skills’ include?

Fine motor skills includes:-

• Academics skills
  • Pencil skills (scribbling, coloring, drawing, writing)
  • Scissors skills (cutting)
• Play
  • Construction skills using puzzles, train tracks
  • Doll dressing and manipulation
  • IT use (e.g. mouse and stylus manipulation)
• Self care including
  • Dressing – tying shoelaces, doling up sandals, zips, buttons, belts
  • Eating – using cutlery, opening lunch boxes and food bags
  • Hygiene – cleaning teeth, brushing hairs, toileting

Why are fine motor skills important?

Fine motor skills are essential for performing everyday skills as outlined above as well academic skills. Without the ability to complete these everyday tasks, a child’s self esteem can suffer, their academic performance is compromised and their play options are very limited. They are also unable to develop appropriate independence in ‘life’ skills (such as getting dressed and feeding themselves) which in turn has social implications not only within the family but also within peer relationships.