Developing Motor Skills: Birth – 8 months
Motor development refers to the muscles – both large and small, in our bodies.
Gross Motor (GM) are the large muscles in our head and neck, arms and legs.
Fine Motor (FM) refers to the small muscles in your fingers, and eyes.
Children develop their muscles from top to bottom, and inner to outer. This means that babies’ muscles develop and strengthen first from the head, then torso, then legs; and from their arms and then out to their fingers.
Remember that wobbly, very heavy head when babies are first born? Gradually over the first few weeks they are more able to control their neck muscles to hold their head upright.
Children develop their muscles through opportunity to exercise them, at the appropriate time. Here’s a summary of the muscle skills they are developing, the approximate time frames for them, and how you can help them: