Until a baby is around 3 months of age, most of the time, her hands will stay closed. But when an object is placed in her palm, she will grasp it. As the baby grows and develops, she will begin to swat at objects. Playing with blocks, around the age of 4 to 8 months, encourages being able to grasp and pick up an object, BabyCenter says. She will eventually transfer an object from one hand to another. When she can eat solid foods, such as cereal, allowing her to feed herself encourages the development of fine motor skills.
Crayons are a tool for developing fine motor skills, according to BabyCenter. When a child is between 12 and 18 months of age, he'll be able to grasp a crayon. His thumb will point up at this stage. Eventually, he'll learn to grasp the crayon thumb down. At approximately 24 months, a child will increasingly want to dress himself. Taking off socks and putting on shoes is a good place to start. Encouraging a child to dress himself develops dexterity. When shopping for clothes, look for items with elastic waistbands, snap buttons and Velcro shoes as they eliminate minor frustrations and encourage the completion of the task by making it easier for the child.
More precise tasks can be tackled at approximately 2 1/2 years of age, according to Australia's National Childcare Accreditation Council. There are many creative and fun activities, such as rolling play dough, stringing beads or cereal on a string and making a necklace and making buildings out of blocks. At 3 years old, she will still be learning to dress herself. Playing dress-up at this stage will encourage her to dress herself while buttoning buttons and correctly putting on a dress or shirt. Playing with toy dishes and food is another way to develop the fine motor skills of simulating pouring, grasping for and placing objects as well as holding silverware. At 4 1/2 years old, folding a paper in half can be accomplished. Origami is a creative way to encourage this. Learning to cut paper into different shapes around 4 1/2 to 5 years old encourages dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Allowing a child to do certain tasks, such as putting a key into a lock and turning it as well as allowing them to assist in cooking and baking tasks such as pouring and stirring, helps improve these fine motor skills and makes it fun at the same time.