Fine Motor Skills for Toddlers 20 – 24 Months

CME WebsitesChild Development, Toddlers 12 - 36 Months

At 20 – 24 months, your toddler’s fine motor skills will be refining.  Your toddler is able to make circular scribbles and imitate vertical lines. Crayons are held between thumb and fingers. During play, he or she manipulates shapes and large puzzle pieces, building with blocks, and scooping independently.

Fine Motor Skills for Toddlers | List of Milestones

  • Build a tower of three small blocks
  • Put four rings on a stick
  • Place five pegs in a pegboard
  • Turn pages two or three at a time
  • Scribble
  • Turn knobs
  • Throw a small ball
  • Paint with whole arm movement, shifting hands, making strokes
  • Build a tower with 4-6 blocks
  • Fold paper (randomly)
  • Imitate a circle when scribbling (not accurate)
  • Begin to use scissors and string beads
  • Use zippers
  • Open doors using knobs
  • Help with simple household tasks

Parenting Tips to Help Your Toddler Develop Fine Motor Skills

You can help with your toddler’s developmental milestones.  Suggested play to help a toddler 20 to 24 months of age develop fine motor skills:

  • To encourage drawing a line (vertical or horizontal), draw a line with finger in wet sand or finger paint, demonstrate making a line, and offer your toddler a chance to imitate you.
  • To promote circular scribbles, practice stirring with a bowl.  Make circles in wet sand with your finger or a stick.  Sit next to your toddler while you demonstrate.
  • Make jewelry. Stringing beads, macaroni, or large cereal will help your child learn how to use two hands at the same time. Remember to put tape at the end of the shoelace or string.
  • Puzzles are fun. This is a great age to introduce simple puzzles. You can even make your own by cutting a cereal box into three or four large pieces.
  • Create a photo album. Make a small picture book just for your toddler with photos of family, friends, and pets. Your toddler will enjoy helping you put the book together. Later, you can look at the book and talk about the people, again and again!
  • Make a fruit salad. By using a plastic picnic knife or even a Popsicle stick, your baby can cut up soft fruit like bananas or peaches. He or she can sprinkle raisins on top and stir it all together.
  • Write a store list. While you’re making a shopping list, give your child paper and a crayon and have him or her ‘write’ their own list.