Fine Motor & Visual Motor Integration
What are Fine Motor Skills?
Fine motor skills are the ability to use the small muscles of the hand to perform precise movements, such as stringing beads, placing coins in a slot, turning the pages of a book, or moving pieces on a board game. Fine motor skills are used anytime that we grasp an object and manipulate it.
Fine motor skills include:
Grasping objects
Arch development
Motoric hand separation
Hand strength
Finger isolation
In-hand manipulation
Promoting a Functional Pencil Grasp
Kids naturally progress through various grasp patterns in preparation for establishing a mature grasp. However, when a child continues to utilize an immature grasp beyond the expected age, they experience hand fatigue, poor pencil control, and difficulty forming shapes, letters, and numbers. Grasping play cars, pulling apart legos, manipulating scissors, shaping playdoh, zipping a jacket, and coloring are all activities that lay the foundation for a functional pencil grasp.
Pencil grasp development:
Palmar Supinate (1 - 1 ½ years old)
Digital Pronate (2 - 3 years old)
Static Tripod (3 ½ - 4 years old)
Dynamic Tripod (4 ½ - 5 years old)
What are Visual Motor Skills?
Visual motor integration involves coordinating the eyes and hands to work together using a combination of oculomotor skills, visual perception, and fine motor skills. Vision helps the eyes to move, perceive, and make sense of objects. Using that visual input, the hands are able to manipulate the objects and perform eye-hand coordination. Fine motor, visual perception, and visual motor skills are challenged and enhanced through play.
Stringing blocks
Cutting shapes
Threading
Pre-writing
Catching a ball
Puzzles
Stringing blocks
Cutting shapes
Threading
Pre-writing
Catching a ball
Puzzles
How can OT help my child’s fine motor and visual motor development?
Occupational Therapy focuses on incorporating unique tools and techniques to enhance motor development, promote a mature pencil grasp, and strengthen eye-hand coordination through functional and play-based activities. During sessions, the OT will evaluate various skill areas and create individualized interventions to target the necessary perceptual and motor skills.
Indicators that a child may benefit from occupational therapy services include:
- Frequently dropping small objects
- Messy drawings
- Resistance to coloring
- Struggles with puzzles
- Challenges manipulating utensils for self-feeding
- Difficulty using scissors
- Fisted grasp on a writing utensil beyond age 3
- Poor letter formation
- Letter reversals
- Inability to fasten buttons, zip zippers, or tie shoes
Get Started Today
If your child is experiencing challenges with fine motor or visual motor skills, occupational therapy can help provide targeted support to improve their ability to create everyday tasks with confidence. Early intervention can help with developmental challenges, making activities such as writing, dressing and play more enjoyable.