CECE Physical Development & Motor Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The pincer grasp — using the thumb and forefinger to pick up small objects — typically emerges around:
- 4–6 months
- 7–8 months
- 9–12 months (Correct answer)
- 15–18 months
Correct answer: 9–12 months
The pincer grasp develops around 9–12 months as the nervous system matures enough to coordinate independent finger movements.
Question 2: Which activity MOST effectively supports fine motor development in preschool-aged children?
- Running obstacle courses
- Riding tricycles outdoors
- Manipulating playdough (Correct answer)
- Doing jumping jacks
Correct answer: Manipulating playdough
Playdough manipulation strengthens hand muscles and develops finger dexterity, both of which are foundational for writing and other fine motor tasks.
Question 3: Hand dominance — a consistent preference for using one hand — is typically established by:
- 12–18 months
- 2–3 years
- 4–6 years (Correct answer)
- 7–8 years
Correct answer: 4–6 years
Most children establish a clear hand preference between ages 4 and 6; before this, some hand switching is developmentally normal.
Question 4: A typical fine motor milestone for a 3-year-old is:
- Tying shoelaces independently
- Cutting along a straight line with scissors (Correct answer)
- Writing complete sentences
- Buttoning tiny buttons with ease
Correct answer: Cutting along a straight line with scissors
By age 3, most children can use child-safe scissors to cut along a straight line, which reflects developing hand strength and bilateral coordination.
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT a fine motor skill?
- Drawing simple shapes
- Using a spoon to self-feed
- Galloping across a room (Correct answer)
- Turning the pages of a book
Correct answer: Galloping across a room
Galloping is a gross motor locomotor skill that uses large muscle groups, while fine motor skills involve the smaller muscles of the hands and fingers.
Question 6: Proprioception is best described as:
- The sense of smell used in sensory play
- The body's internal sense of its own position and movement (Correct answer)
- Visual tracking of moving objects
- Auditory discrimination between sounds
Correct answer: The body's internal sense of its own position and movement
Proprioception is the sensory system that tells the brain where the body's limbs are in space without relying on vision, supporting coordination and motor planning.
Question 7: A child who struggles to use scissors, copy shapes, or manage utensils may benefit most from a referral to:
- A speech-language pathologist
- An occupational therapist (Correct answer)
- A reading specialist
- A behavioral consultant
Correct answer: An occupational therapist
Occupational therapists specialize in evaluating and treating fine motor delays, helping children develop the hand strength, coordination, and sensory processing needed for daily tasks.
CECE Physical Development & Motor Skills 2
The pincer grasp — using the thumb and forefinger to pick up small objects — typically emerges around: