Age
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Fine motor skills
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Functional Skills
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Activities and toys to encourage Development
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1 year old
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Can pick up small objects with a fine pincer grasp (tip of index finger and thumb)
Can point with index finger
Can release a small object into someones hand
Can hold a crayon in a fisted grasp
Showing a preference for one hand, but use either
Drop and throw toys deliberately
Bangs objects together
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Attempts to hold spoon, brings to mouth
Helps more with dressing
Holds and drinks from cup
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Containers to put toys into them and then take them out
Picture books
Push and pull toys
Stacking toys and bricks
Messy play
Thick crayons and paint brushes
Musical toys
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18 Months
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Can point to known objects
Can build a tower of 3 or more bricks
Can use a delicate pincer grasp to pick up very small objects
Can hold a pencil in their whole hand or between the thumb and first 2 fingers
Can scribble to and fro
Can thread large beads onto a lace or string
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Can use a spoon when feeding themselves
Holds cup with both hands
Assists with dressing and undressing, taking off shoes, socks and hat, but struggles to replace
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Posting
Paints and crayons
Sand water play
Matching and sorting games
Simple jigsaw puzzles
Puppet play
Pop up toys
Stacking toys
Balls to roll and kick
Pretend play – toy telephones, dressing up clothes
Bath toys e.g. beakers, sprinkling toys and waterproof books
Finger paints,
Picture books
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2 years old
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Draw circles, lines and dots using their preferred hand
Pick up tiny objects using a fine pincer grasp (index and thumb)
Can build a tower of 6 or more blocks
Picture books and turning the pages
Can copy a vertical line
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Can drink from a cup with fewer spills
Managing to scoop with a spoon at mealtimes
Able to pull pants down for toilet, needs help pulling up
Puts on hat and shoes
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Messy play, water play, sand play
Provide bricks, sorting boxes, hammer and peg toys, simple jigsaw puzzles
Triangular pencils to help pencil grasp
Model building toys e.g. duplo
Picture books
Crayons
Glove puppets
Pretend play
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3 years old
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Can copy a building pattern of three or more cubes, including a bridge
Can build a tower of 9 or 10 cubes
Can control a pencil using their thumb and the first 2 fingers
Can copy a circle
Can draw a person with a head and sometimes with legs and arms coming out from the head
Can cut paper with toy scissors
Can thread large beads onto a lace
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Can eat using a fork or spoon
Washes hands, needs help with drying
Can pull pants down and up but needs help with buttons, and zips
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Provide a variety of play opportunities e.g
- Balls,
- Sand
- Water play
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Threading
- Drawing
- Colouring
Art and craft activities
Trips to the park
Matching and sorting games
Pretend play
Activities with bricks, boxes, trains, dolls
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4 Years Old
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Can build a tower of ten or more cubes
Can copy a building pattern of 3 steps using 6 cubes of more
Are able ot thread small beads onto a lace
Hold a pencil or pen in an adult type grasp
Can draw a figure that resembles a person showing head, legs and body
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Can eat skilfully with a spoon and a fork
Can wash and dry their hands and brush their teeth
Can dress and undress themselves, except for laces, ties and back buttons
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Outdoor exercise and activities : climbing frames,
Play games e.g. musical statues,
Encourage construction toys: jigsaw puzzles, board games
Provide art and craft materials
Sand and water play, pay doh
Books
Matching games e.g. pairs
Teach how to dress and undress
Encourage independence when going to the toilet
Let them practice using a computer mouse and carry out simple computer activities
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5 Years Old
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May be able to thread a large-eyed needle and sew with large stiches
Have good control over pencils and paint brushes
Can draw a person with a head, body, arms, legs, a nose, a mouth and eyes
Can construct models using kits such as duplo, lego
Can copy a square and at 5 ½ a triangle
Can do jigsaw puzzles with interlocking pieces.
Can cut a piece of paper neatly
Colours pictures neatly staying within outlines
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Starting to use a knife and fork, but may still need to have some food cut up for them
Dress and undress, needs help with shoelaces
Washes and dries face and hands, needs help or supervision for the rest
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Provide plenty of outdoor activities
Teach to swim and ride a 2 wheeled bike
Encourage skipping and kicking a football
Encourage use of models, jigsaw, sewing kits and craft activities including drawing and painting
Encourage to help with simple home tasks, e.g. washing up, watering plants,
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6 Years Old

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Can build a tower of cubes that is virtually straight
Can hold a pen or pencil in a way similar to that of an adult: tripod grasp
Are able to write a number of letters of similar size
Can write their last name as well as their first name
May begin to write simple stories
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Opportunity to play and engage in exercise
Allow children to try new sports or activities
Encourage writing skills by providing lots of example of things written for different purposes such as shopping lists, letter sna recipes
Play memory games with children e.g. pairs / dominoes
Talk about what they have done during their day
Encourage to sort and match objects and order with different concepts e.g size, preference,
Story times
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7 Years Old

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Can build tall, straight towers with cubes
Are more competent in their writing skills, individual letters are more clearly differentiated now and capital and small letters are in proportion
Begin to use colour in naturalistic way, e.g. green colour at the bottom of page to represent grass
Draw people with heads, bodies, hands, hair, fingers and clothes
Can use a large needle to sew with thread
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Can complete activities including washing, dressing and toileting.
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Encourage vigorous outdoor play
Swimming, Skating,
Obstacle courses
Provide a range of drawing and craft materials
Simple gardening skills
Plan and make working models e.g. pulley lifts and wheeled vehicles,
Encourage children to become more familiar with using a computer, e.g. typing
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