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Strategies for Teaching Fine & Gross Motor Skills

Motor skills relate to the movement of the muscles of the body. They are broken into two groups: fine motor skills and gross motor skills. Gross motor skills involve the large movements such as walking, running and jumping. Fine motor skills are smaller actions such as grasping a pencil and cutting with scissors. Depending on the situation, there are various strategies for teaching both fine and gross motor skills.

  1. Developmental Issues

    • Developing fine and gross motor skills sometimes can be difficult for people to acquire. Gross motor skills such as jumping and running can be affected with those who suffer with genetic disorders such as muscular dystrophy and neurological conditions. Some children might just be a slow developer and need extra encouragement in developing fine motor skills. Decide if the child had setbacks when they were a baby or a toddler. Usually by the age of 18 months, kids are able to grasp finger food or even a small spoon for feeding. Fine motor skill delays might be the result of poor vision, or for more severe cases, mental retardation.

    Fine Motor Skills

    • Teach fine motor skills with several strategies that will increase strength and dexterity. Cut along black lines on paper, and then move toward using the scissors on angles and curves. Develop fine motor skills by tracing lines and shapes with a finger and then following along with a pencil. Color shapes with large crayons, paint with brushes or even write with chalk on the chalkboard. These exercises will help learn the concept of grasping something between the thumb and finger. Another strategy might be rolling out dough for cooking, scooping and pouring ingredients into bowls and then stirring the mixture together. Opening and closing lids on jars, dot-to-dot drawing, working with tile, mosaics and even practicing cursive writing might help teach fine motor skills.

    Gross Motor Skills

    • Playing hopscotch and jump rope is a strategy to teach gross motor skills. It is important to not push a person into learning or developing too fast. Depending on the physical capability of the person, it might take one child longer than another to reach a certain milestone. Learning balance is important for developing gross motor skills. Instruct children to walk on a narrow curb while moving an object from one hand to another. Teach spatial relations by telling the child to stand behind a chair, on the side of it and then in front of the chair. Make it fun for children when teaching them gross motor skills. Have the children mimic the movements of certain animals. These can include jumping like a frog, slithering like a snake and waddling like a duck.

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