Motor Skills for One-Year-Olds

Your 1-year-old has mastered numerous gross motor skills in her first year, but the more subtle fine motor skills should not be overlooked, according to Healthychildren.org. By 12 months, her gross motor skills include crawling, maneuvering herself from a prone to a sitting position, take steps while holding on to furniture, standing unassisted and most children start walking by 15 months, according to the University of Missouri Department of Human Development and Family Studies. A 1-year-old's fine motor skills involve a combination of eye-to-hand coordination and progress in grasping small objects with the thumb and forefinger. She can stack blocks, point with her index finger, place balls in a container and throw a ball, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  1. Definitions

    • Gross motor skills involve the large muscles of the body, such as arms, legs, feet and the entire body necessary for crawling, walking and running. The fine motor skills involve eye-to-hand coordination and the ability to grasp objects. Sometime between 12 months and 15 months, a 1-year-old will master the pincer grip. This sophisticated grip utilizes the thumb and index finger providing the child more control to manipulate the object and the ability to purposefully drop the object, according to Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescents.

    Nurtured Skill Development

    • According to Healthychildren.org, structured and unstructured play time is essential for the development of cognitive and motor skills. Play time and games provide the 12-month-old child with encouragement and assurances as he is mastering new skills. Pediatricians recommend a healthy play environment with a personalized flexible schedule for each child that includes no more than one hour of idle time and 30 minutes of adult-lead activities.

    Fine Motor Skills

    • Your 12-month-old explorer will develop fine motor skills by stacking blocks and knocking them down. She will increase her skills by turning knobs and opening pages, putting round pegs into a hole, picking up balls in motion, scribbling on paper and covering and uncovering boxes and containers.

    Gross Motor Skills

    • Parents are a child̵7;s first teacher and interactive play is essential for developing gross motor skills. The Nemours Foundation's Bright Start program recommends a safe play room area that will allow the child to explore his environment. He can practice his walking, fall down and pick himself back up again. Parents can help by providing space for strengthening his muscles and balance. Musical and interactive games provide him with confidence and assurances as he breaks through his motor skill development milestones.

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