Advice and resources
Fine Motor Skills (FMS) development
Fine motor skills guide the small movements of the hand and fingers that allow your child to write and draw. For example doing up buttons and zips or cutting with scissors. When these skills are under-developed, your child may struggle to be independent or you may notice they are not as confident as their friends.
Further information - FMS
Gross Motor Skills (GMS) development
Gross motor skills describes physical development using ‘big movements’. Starting with small babies rolling over and moving on as they grow to being able to run, jump and hop. The best way to help a child build on these skills is to give them plenty of opportunity to practice them. Most children will run, hop on one foot and be able to kick, throw and sometimes catch a ball by the time they start school. They should be able to safely manage going up and downstairs.
Self-Care skills development
Learning to perform basic self-care tasks such as dressing, teeth cleaning, toileting and using cutlery are important milestones on the journey towards independence.
Further information - GMS and Self-care
Sensory Processing
Sensory processing describes the way the body receives and interprets incoming stimuli through our senses. Our sensory systems play an important role in our ability to engage in the world around us. Each sensory system has its own unique role and together they inform our brain how to react and interact with our environment. This process helps us to maintain a sense of position, level of alertness in different surroundings and our ability to move.