Your Baby’s Development—Get Her Motor (Skills) Running!

Your baby was born to be wildly interactive with her world. You’ll start to see it even in her first few months of life as her nervous system and muscles start getting in sync. Her movements will start to evolve from quick and jerky to smooth and self-directed. 

Motor skills are defined by two categories. One is “gross” motor skills, which involve the large groups of muscles used to sit, stand, walk, run, keep balance, or change positions. The other is “fine” motor skills, which control  abilities such as using her hands to eat, draw, play, or pick up small items. 

With simple activities and a little practice, you can help strengthen your baby's muscle development and get her motor skills moving forward at full speed.

By month 4, your baby has the muscle control needed to turn her head and follow objects. Within the first year, she should also develop the ability to balance, sit up, crawl, and eventually pull herself up and learn to stand on her own. Her fine motor skills will also advance—from clumsily raking objects during the early months to eventually grasping items with accuracy. The general timing for such development is shown below.

You can help your baby develop her gross and fine motor skills—and have fun doing it—by putting the following activity tips into practice:

Under your watchful eye, place your infant on her stomach to strengthen her neck and back muscles. Get her attention by holding a colorful toy and making an interesting noise. Always keep "tummy time" sessions short—about a minute or two should do it. 

Rolling a large ball to your baby allows you to interact with her and observe her developing skills. At first your baby will simply slap it, but she will eventually learn to swat it back in your direction. 

Put a graspable object (such as a rattle) in your baby's hand and tug on it very gently. This activity helps build muscle as your baby resists your efforts.

Nothing encourages an infant to crawl more than a tower of blocks that is just out of reach and waiting to be knocked down.  

When your baby is 4 to 7 months old, gently pull her to a standing position. By this age range, your baby will start to understand the function of each body part and begin using her feet and legs to bounce up and down with your help. This will help prepare your baby for walking. Modify this activity for a younger baby by using a supported sitting position.

Sometimes life can be a bore on the floor. Excite your little crawler by creating a maze out of light sofa cushions, pillows, or boxes on a carpeted floor. Invite your baby to crawl over or between them. You can even hide behind an obstacle for a game of peek-a-boo. Remember to always closely supervise your baby while she's playing with pillows.

As you begin adding healthy snacks to your baby's diet in the later months of year 1 (and with the approval of your pediatrician), don’t forget the finger foods. They’re great for fine-motor practice, making each eating experience a fun learning time. Encourage your baby to pick up bites of cereal or soft fruits or vegetables. Show her how to do it and praise every successful snack. 

If you're not sure what kinds of foods to use, the FeedingExpert team is available to answer your questions at 1-800-896-8800.