Features
Large and Small Motor Development in the First Two Years
Sara Gable, Ph.D. State Specialist & Associate Professor, Human Development & Family Studies, Human Environmental Sciences Extension, University of Missouri-Columbia
During the first 2 years of life, babies grow and develop in many ways. Large and small motor development has a powerful effect on babies' social relationships, thinking, and language. Large motor development allows babies to have more control over actions that help them get around the environment; small motor development allows babies more control over movements that have to do with reaching, grasping, and handling objects. The sequence of these achievements is similar in groups of children, the rate of growth and development is what varies by individual.
Motor development in the first two years follows two
trends:
- Cephalocaudal: head before arms and trunk; arms and trunk before legs
- Proximodistal: head, trunk, arms before hands and fingers
Voluntary Reaching and Grasping
Voluntary reaching and grasping play an important role
in babies' cognitive development. When infants can reach
for, hold, and manipulate objects, a whole new way of
exploring the environment is realized.
| Reaching Skills | Appears about. . . |
| Prereaching | Newborn to 7 weeks |
| Voluntary Reaching | 3 months |
| Reaching for Moving Objects | 5 months |
| Arms work Independently (babies can reach with one arm rather than both) |
7 months |
| Reaching for Moving Objects that change direction | 9 months |
| Grasping Skills | Appears about. . . |
| Ulnar Grasp: clumsy motion, fingers close against palm | Present in newborns |
| Hold Object and Scan / Transfer Object from Hand-to-Hand | (about 4 to 5 months) |
| Pincer Grasp: Press thumb and index finger together | (about 1 year of age) |
| Manipulate small objects with improved coordination | (13 to 18 months) |
| Manipulate objects with good coordination | (19 to 24 months) |
| Motor Skill | Average Age Achieved | Age Range when Achieved by 90% of Infants |
| When held upright, holds head erect and steady | 6 weeks | 3 weeks to 4 months |
| When lying face down, lifts self by arms |
2 months | 3 weeks to 4 months |
| Rolls from side to back | 2 months | 3 weeks to 5 months |
| Grasps cube | 3 months, 3 weeks | 2 to 7 months |
| Rolls from back to side | 4 ½ months | 2 to 7 months |
| Sits alone | 7 months | 5 to 9 months |
| Crawls | 7 months | 5 to 11 months |
| Pulls to stand | 8 months | 5 to 12 months |
| Plays pat-a-cake | 9 months, 3 weeks | 7 to 15 months |
| Stands alone | 11 months | 9 to 16 months |
| Walks alone | 11 months, 3 weeks | 9 to 17 months |
| Builds tower of two cubes | 13 months, 3 weeks | 10 to 19 months |
| Scribbles vigorously | 14 months | 10 to 21 months |
| Walks up stairs with help | 16 months | 12 to 23 months |
| Jumps in place | 23 months, 2 weeks | 17 to 30 months |
| Walks on tiptoe | 25 months | 16 to 30 months |
Resources:
Barsley-Marra, B. L. (1993). Understanding and
encouraging your young child's large motor development.
University of Missouri, Extension Publications. GH6113.
http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/hesguide/humanrel/gh6113.htm
Bayley, N. (1969). Bayley Scales of Infant Development.
New York, NY: Psychological Corporation.
Bayley, N. (1993). Bayley Scales of Infant Development
(2nd ed.). San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
Berk, L. E. (2001). Development through the lifespan.
Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Last Updated 09/24/2007
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