TExES Physical Education EC-12 Practice Exam

At what developmental stage do children typically begin to coordinate movement with their hand and fingers?

1. 0-2 years old

2. 3-5 years old

3. 6-8 years old

4. 9-11 years old

The correct answer is: 3-5 years old

Children typically begin to coordinate movement with their hands and fingers during the ages of 3 to 5 years old, which corresponds to early childhood development. This stage is characterized by significant advancements in fine motor skills. During this period, children become more adept at tasks that require hand-eye coordination, such as drawing, using scissors, and manipulating small objects. They start to engage more in activities that require precise movements, which enhances their ability to execute complex tasks that necessitate coordination between their hands and fingers. In earlier stages, specifically from 0 to 2 years old, children's movements are more reflexive and gross motor-oriented rather than focused on fine motor skills. As they progress from the ages of 2 to 3, they may begin to show some preliminary skills, but the most significant changes in coordination tend to manifest between ages 3 and 5. By 6 to 8 years, children typically refine these skills further and incorporate more advanced activities, but the foundation of hand and finger coordination begins in the earlier range. The ages 9 to 11 represent a time of further refinement and sophistication in motor skills, rather than the initiation of hand and finger coordination development.