How to Check if Your Child's Motor Development Is On Track

Every child moves at their own pace — but knowing the friendly milestones helps you tell confident progress from a gentle nudge to check in.

In short

You can check your child's motor development by watching for two kinds of skills against age-friendly milestones: gross motor (big movements like rolling, sitting, crawling, walking and running) and fine motor (small, precise movements like grasping, pincer grip, scribbling and stacking). Milestones are a guide, not a rigid timetable — most children reach them within a range. If your child consistently sits well outside the usual window for several skills, or seems to lose a skill they once had, a simple developmental check is the right next step.

What to look for, by skill

Gross motor (the big movements):

• By around 4 months — holds head steady, pushes up on tummy.
• By around 6–9 months — rolls both ways, sits without support, begins to crawl or shuffle.
• By around 12–15 months — pulls to stand, cruises along furniture, takes first steps.
• By around 2 years — walks confidently, runs, climbs, kicks a ball.
• By around 3 years — jumps, walks up stairs, pedals a tricycle.

Fine motor (the small, precise movements):

• By around 6 months — reaches for and holds objects, brings hands to mouth.
• By around 9–12 months — passes objects between hands, develops a pincer grip (thumb and finger).
• By around 18–24 months — stacks a few blocks, scribbles, feeds self with a spoon.
• By around 3 years — draws simple lines and circles, turns single pages, builds taller towers.

Two simple habits help most: watch how your child moves during everyday play, and note whether new skills keep emerging over time. Steady forward progress matters more than hitting any single milestone on an exact day.

When to seek a check

Arrange a developmental check if your child is well past the usual window for several motor skills, has a strong and persistent preference for one hand before about 18 months, feels unusually stiff or floppy, or — most importantly — loses a skill they once had. Trust your instinct: if something feels off, an early, reassuring check is always worthwhile and never premature.

The Pinnacle way

AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from an app or checklist at home. Our clinicians map your child's motor profile precisely and shape support around their strengths. Explore how the AbilityScore® works, our occupational therapy support for fine and gross motor skills, or start at our home page to find a centre near you.

Trusted sources

WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related functions, b7); CDC developmental milestone guidance; American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) on motor development.

Next step — Want clarity and reassurance about your child's movement? Book a developmental assessment with a Pinnacle clinician.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.