Fine motor skills involve the coordination of small muscles and movements in the fingers and hands. Infants and children develop these skills over time, starting with more gross movements such as grasping an object. Eventually, they can use more precise and refined movement, such as that used for drawing, buttoning, and writing.

What follows are typical milestones for fine motor and vision development in young children, as well as warning signs of possible delays. There is a wide range of typical development. However, follow up with a pediatrician if your child shows signs of delays.

Birth to Three Months

• Prefers black-and-white or high-contrast patterns
• Begins to develop color vision by two months
• Looks directly at caregiver’s eyes by two months
• Has a grasp reflex to hold an object when placed in the hand
• Brings hands to mouth
• Is able to swipe at an object with hands

Three to Six Months

• Begins to reach voluntarily with one hand for a toy
• Brings hands together at midline 
• Transfers objects from one hand to the other
• Rakes and scoops small objects
• Brings objects to mouth
• Begins to visually track moving objects by five months
• Recognizes bottle
• Begins to look at self in the mirror and smiles by five months

Six to Twelve Months
By 9 months:

• Uses a pincer grasp to pickup small objects
• Bangs, throws, and shakes objects

By 12 months:

• Points and pokes at objects with the index finger
• Transfers objects from one hand to another
• Begins to put objects into a container
• Releases objects voluntarily
• Attempts to imitate scribbling
• Begins to turn pages in a book
• Improved color vision, distance vision, and depth perception
• Tracks fast-moving objects

Twelve to Eighteen Months
By 15 months:

• Uses a crayon and scribbles
• Picks up two blocks with one hand
• Begins towering two to three cubes
• Stirs with a spoon
• Turns pages of a board book

By 18 months:

• Places round pegs in holes
• Imitates gestures or signs that the caregiver often uses

Eighteen to Twenty-four Months
By 21 months:

• Scribbles in circles
• Plays and pokes Play-Doh
• Turns pages one at a time
• Uses a hammer to pound
• Turns a container over in order to pour contents out

By 24 months:

• Towers up to six to seven cubes
• Places large pieces in a puzzle board
• Focuses on objects near and far
• Points to objects in a book
• Points to more distant and interesting objects outdoors

Two to Three Years

• Turns doorknobs
• Throws a ball forward and begins throwing overhand
• Towers blocks eight to ten blocks tall
• Begins to use a tripod grasp 
• Can imitate drawing horizontal and vertical lines and circles
• Snips with scissors
• Strings beads
• Screws and unscrews jar lids
• Catches a bounced ball with some consistency
• Recognizes fine detail in pictures

Three to Five Years

• Copies shapes such as squares and triangles
• Uses scissors to cut out pictures
• Improves with writing and may copy block letters
• Is able to connect the dots
• Begins to color between the lines
• Vision improves to nearly 20/20
• Develops nearly mature depth perception
• Recognizes and recites the alphabet
• Copies geometric shapes

Signs of Possible Developmental Delays: Fine Motor and Vision
Helpful article if you suspect your child may have developmental delays.

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