motor skills
Is it normal that my toddler cannot do motor skills yet?
Between 12 and 36 months there is a wide, healthy range for when toddlers walk, climb, scribble and stack, so taking your own gentle pace is usually completely normal. What matters is steady progress over weeks, not exact calendar dates. A gentle check is wise only if your child is not walking by 18 months, loses a skill, has very stiff or floppy muscles, or stops keeping pace with their own earlier progress — and only a Pinnacle clinician can assess, never an online form.
If you're watching other toddlers run and climb while yours takes their own gentle pace, it's natural to wonder whether everything is on track.
In short
It is very common — and usually completely normal — for motor skills to arrive at different times for different toddlers between 12 and 36 months. There is a wide, healthy range for walking, climbing, scribbling and stacking, so being a little behind a friend's child is rarely a worry on its own. What matters is steady forward progress over weeks and months, not hitting every milestone exactly on a calendar date.What is normal between 1 and 3 years
Motor development unfolds gradually, and the range of "normal" is genuinely wide:- Gross motor — most toddlers walk independently somewhere between 12 and 18 months, begin running and climbing stairs with help around 18–24 months, and kick or throw a ball by 2–3 years.
- Fine motor — stacking a few blocks, holding a crayon in a fist, feeding themselves with fingers and then a spoon all emerge across this whole period.
- Bursts and plateaus — children often focus hard on one skill (like talking) while another (like climbing) pauses, then catch up. This is normal.
Lots of floor play, safe space to move, and everyday practice are the best support at this stage.
When a gentle check is wise
Think about a developmental conversation if you notice, over weeks rather than a single day:- Not walking at all by 18 months
- Loss of a skill your child once had
- Very stiff or very floppy muscles, or strongly favouring one side of the body
- Not using hands to explore, hold or reach by around 12 months
- Consistently not keeping pace with their own earlier progress
These point to a check, never a label — the causes are many and most are very supportable.
The Pinnacle way
A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care — never from an online form or checklist. Our therapists look at your child's whole movement story and, where genuinely needed, support families with gentle, evidence-led occupational therapy. Most toddlers simply need time, space and play.Trusted sources
CDC developmental milestone guidance for toddlers (cdc.gov); AAP family guidance on movement and play (healthychildren.org); WHO nurturing care for early childhood development (who.int).Next step — If your instinct says something is worth a closer look, a calm check is the kindest move. Book a developmental screen with a Pinnacle therapist.
This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care.
What to watch
Watch for patterns over weeks, not a single day: not walking at all by 18 months, losing a skill once present, very stiff or very floppy muscles, strongly favouring one side, or not using hands to reach and hold by around 12 months. Day-to-day variation, bursts and plateaus, and arriving a little later than a friend's child are normal at this age.
Try this at home
Give your toddler plenty of safe floor and outdoor space to practise — let them climb low steps with you nearby, squat to pick up toys, and feed themselves with fingers and a spoon. Unhurried, playful movement is the best motor-skill builder there is.
Trusted sources
Developed by SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network · Last reviewed 2026-06-10 · reviewed every 540 days
This is general information, not a diagnosis. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care.
Frequently asked
By what age should my toddler be walking?
Most toddlers walk independently between 12 and 18 months, but the healthy range is wide. If your child is not walking at all by 18 months, a gentle developmental check is wise — not because something is wrong, but to understand and support their pace.
My toddler stacks blocks but isn't running — is that a problem?
Not at all. Children often focus on one area of development while another pauses, then catch up. Bursts and plateaus across gross and fine motor skills are completely normal between 1 and 3 years.
When should I see someone about my toddler's movement?
Consider a calm conversation with a clinician if patterns persist over weeks: no walking by 18 months, loss of a skill, very stiff or floppy muscles, favouring one side, or not keeping pace with their own earlier progress.