What is the Difference Between Fine Motor and Gross Motor Skills?

Motor skills, which are involved in the muscle movement within a child’s body, are divided into two categories: fine motor and gross motor. All motor skills require the necessary strength, coordination, and planning skills in order to be effective. There are many factors that contribute to the development of motor skills. What’s the difference between the two and what role do they play in your child’s development? Keep reading to find out!

Gross Motor Skills

Gross motor skills are responsible for the coordinated movement of large muscle groups. Gross motor skills are used for things such as sitting, standing, walking, running, and keeping balance. Gross motor skills are often directly impacted by muscle tone development as strength is a key element to successfully utilizing these skills. Gross motor skills are required to reach the main milestones for infants, like sitting up, crawling, and standing.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are used to make smaller, more precise movements with muscles. Grasping and controlling objects, such as writing utensils, and being able to pick up small objects between the thumb and forefinger are examples of ways that fine motor skills are used daily. When an occupational therapist is referring to fine motor skills, they are usually talking about the fine movements of the hand and fingers. These fine movements also require coordination with the movement of the eyes, or hand-eye coordination.

Delays in fine motor development can be difficult to notice until later in a child’s life, such as preschool, when it becomes more evident that a child may have difficulty with fine motor skills, such as grasping writing utensils.

Motor Development and Motor Control

Motor control refers to voluntary muscle movements controlled by the muscles, bones, and nervous system (2). Gross motor control occurs prior to fine motor control, and both are significant indicators of how a child is developing.

Voluntary movements develop later in life, which is why babies possess reflexive movements such as breathing and a heartbeat, but lack skills such as grasping. Voluntary movements require a complex connection and cooperation between multiple parts of the brain and muscle groups, requiring the higher centers of the brain that develop later in life.

Once fine motor skills begin to develop, an infant can begin to explore their surroundings. You’ll notice that they start to follow bright objects with their eyes, or will reach out towards objects. Later on, they will also begin to communicate through pulling, pointing, and showing off different objects(1).  

Fine motor and gross motor skills are a great reflection of how your child is developing. Both are crucial for independence, communication, and participation in everyday activities. It’s important to note that each child develops at their own pace, but delays in certain areas can be an indicator that intervention is necessary. Other issues, such as toe-walking or balance, are great examples of common problems that can be easily addressed through proper therapy techniques.

What Impacts Fine Motor and Gross Motor Development

Many different factors can affect motor control and development. This can happen through causes such as physical injury or illness. Examples include multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, developmental disorders, nerve damage, and many more. Motor development can also be impeded by biological or environmental factors, such as not getting the correct nutrients as a baby. Experience and environmental factors play a significant role in the development of children in the first couple of years of life.

If you have questions or concerns about your child’s gross motor or fine motor development, it’s always a good idea to speak with your child’s pediatrician and consider scheduling an evaluation for your child. There are many ways that a well-trained therapist can help your child work on these skills in a fun way! The sooner that therapies begin, the sooner your child can develop and use the skills he or she needs to be their best.

Sources

1.       Kamptner, Laura. “Motor Development.” Salem Press Encyclopedia of Health, 2021

2.       Lasky, Jack. “Motor Control.” Salem Press Encyclopedia of Science, 2019.