Skip to main content

Effective Practice Guides

Print

Fine Motor: See

Infants and Toddlers

Fine Motor: Video 1

Download the video [MP4, 13MB] Download the transcript
View the transcript

Teacher: Oh, you ready, Dana?  Can we put the...Hmm, how about the yellow inside the red? Oop, you going to put the purple? Can we switch it? Did it fit? Oh, no. It's not fitting. Can we try it again? How about we try it this way? Put this one inside like this. Oh, did it fit?  [Chuckles] Yeah. That's the square.

Dana: Two!

Teacher: Two. Yes. You have two. Oh! And it fit. It did. 

Dana: It did.

Sala: It's a blue!

Teacher: That is blue.  So, what are you building, Sala? Dana, how about the blue? Did it fit? Yeah, it did.

Can we put this... Oh, did it fit?

Dana: Yeah!

Teacher: Oh, you did it. Oh! That's the way it goes. Did it -- Did the red fit  inside the blue? Did it work?

Dana: No. 

Teacher: No, it didn't. You're right, Dana. Did it -- Did it work now?  Did it fit?

Dana: Yeah. 

Teacher: Yes, it did.

Dana: It fit!

Teacher: Oh! Is it stuck? 

Dana: Yeah.

Teacher: So, what is it we need to do? Huh?

Dana: Push!

Teacher: Oh, you pushing it to make it fit? Can we try putting it in the red one? Oh! What happened? Did it fit? Whoa! What did you make?

Close

Observation

  • Describe the physical environment in which this video segment takes place (e.g., how space is arranged, toys and materials). Where are the teacher, boy, and girl seated? What materials are the children using? How does the teacher support the girl playing with the nesting cups? What does the girl do in response to the teacher's suggestions? How does the child coordinate use of her hand and eye movements? How does the child use her hands to explore the nesting cups?

Application

  • Which teaching practices does the teacher use to support the girl's development of fine motor skills? Check the "Know" and "Do" sections for ideas.
  • How does the teacher encourage the child to try different cups to see whether they fit?

Reflection

  • In this video segment, the girl uses her hands to fit the cups inside each other. What are some examples of skills from other domains she displays in this brief video?
  • What might the girl's experience of this game be like if there were fewer cups to choose from? More cups?
  • What skills would the girl be using if the cups were hidden in various places in the classroom and part of the game was finding each one and bringing it back to the play area?
  • How else could the teacher support this child in building her fine motor skills through toys, activities, routines, and transitions?

Fine Motor: Video 2

Download the video [MP4, 25MB] Download the transcript
View the transcript

Woman: Hi, Mason. Hi. It's fun to see you again this week. It is. Look at you.  What are you doing? Are you bal--You're pretty strong, balancing on that arm, aren't you? Yeah. So, last week, you were talking about that he's just starting to do  things like pick them up and release it to drop it in.

So, this week, we pulled together some things that you had at your house where we can practice  some of those skills and see what he's doing. So, these are really cute. You made these. 

Woman 2: Thank you.

Woman: That's a great -- You got a pretty creative mom, huh? Yeah! So, let's see what he'll do. Let's see. Just try some things and see what he'll do.

Woman 2: Here. Look. Look. Let's see these. Look. You want to pick it up and drop it? Can you pick it up and drop it? Let's pick this one up. Can you pick that up? Look, there's a lot of them. Can you pick those up? Can you put it in here? Good job. Do you want to put it in there.

Woman: You know, even if he doesn't put it in, he's doing a great job... 

Woman 2: Yeah.

Woman: ...of grabbing, holding. 

Woman 2: Grasping. Good job. Good job. [Chuckles]

Woman: So, he's really imitating you. Even though he's not putting them together, he's still making them do the same thing.

Woman 2: Good job.

Woman: Up? Did you say up? Did you say up? So, what are some other things that  you have around the house that you could practice that -- where he's using more of those small muscles? Picking up things and releasing them, like dropping them.

Woman 2: Well, the baby bottle caps -- He can pick those up, and he likes to release those. Don't you? And we take baby wipe containers, and he puts those in there.

Woman: So, those are great things just that you have around. And just like that coffee can.

Woman 2: What is that? Oh, you want to turn the page? [Laughter] Do you like opening and closing it?

Woman: I think what we -- We know what you like about books right now, don't you? Turn those pages.  [Laughs] He really is practicing those motor skills.

Woman 2: Yeah.

Woman: That's like your favorite new thing.

Woman 2: Can I show you that? Did you see that?

Woman: And you do such a great job of following his lead, too, just...seeing what he wants to do and how he wants to explore it and then...following.

Woman 2: He likes to take charge a lot, so... [Laughs]

Woman: Say, "I have to know that I'm important." Right? Yeah. "Know that I'm important."

Close

Observation

  • Describe the physical setting of this home visit (e.g., how space is arranged, toys and materials available). Who is participating in the visit? Where do they sit in relation to each other? How does the home visitor interact with the mother? How does the mother interact with her infant? How does the home visitor interact with the child?

Application

  • Which teaching practices are used by the adults to support the infant in developing fine motor skills? Check the "Know" and "Do" sections for ideas.
  • How does the home visitor support the mother in making connections between what she does with block play and sharing books and how it supports her child's fine motor development?
  • How does the home visitor support the mother and child interactions?

Reflection

  • What might the mother and home visitor plan for the next home visit to help the infant continue developing his fine motor skills?
  • If you were working with this mother, what else would you do or say to support her in her interaction with her child?
  • What other skills do you notice the child using? What might you say to the mother to help her make the connection between skills in other domains with skills in the fine motor domain?

Preschoolers

Observation

  • Describe the physical setting (e.g. how space is arranged, toys and materials) and the teacher and girl who are the focus of this video segment. What is the teacher doing? How does the child respond? How does the teacher's pace compare to the child's pace? How does the teacher alter the support she is providing to allow the child to practice using a spoon on her own? Why does the teacher show the child how to tip her spoon? How does the girl respond?

Application

  • Which teaching practices does this teacher use to help the child learn how to use a spoon to feed herself? Check the "Know" and "Do" sections for ideas. Are these strategies successful?
  • What might you assume about the girl's grasping skills? What is happening in the video that could be a natural opportunity to check to see what kind of grasp she has?
  • Why does the teacher show the child how to tip her spoon?

Reflection

  • What role might the other child at the table play in supporting the girl's learning to use a spoon?
  • Would you expect this girl to have a clear preference for using her right hand or left hand at this age? What adjustments would the teacher need to make to allow the girl to express her preference or change which hand she uses during mealtime? How would you approach this activity with the child to allow her to choose which hand to use?
  • What other materials, tools, and activities could help this child learn to adjust her reach and grasp?
  • How might the teacher introduce and support the child in learning other self-help practices (e.g., toothbrushing, handwashing, and dressing) that rely on fine motor skills?

Read more:

,  School Readiness