Fine Motor Skills
The average age for mastering the fine motor skills necessary for writing, cutting, and using tools in elementary school is 6½ years (Lippincott, 2004). Fine motor activities we do with young children help them gradually build strength and coordination, or manual dexterity, in the muscles of the hands and wrist and encourage the visual perception necessary to coordinate eye-hand movements. Through manipulation of many kinds of materials and tools over time, children acquire the ability to control fine motor actions such as pinching, grasping, and squeezing.