How Screen Time Affects Children's Motor Skills

In a previous post, I talked about the many social skills children develop through play. It’s absolutely amazing what simple activities – running around, stacking blocks, playing dress-up – can do for a child’s brain.

But here’s the problem: with the rise of screentime, so many children aren’t getting the playtime they need for their development. And one of the most impacted areas? Motor development.

What Is Motor Development and Why Does It Matter?

Motor development is the process of learning to control and use the body. It involves both:
✔️ Physical growth of muscles and bones.
✔️ Coordination and movement to interact with the world.

Children develop motor skills in stages:
👉 First, they strengthen their large muscles (gross motor skills: crawling, walking, jumping).
👉 Then, they refine their small muscles (fine motor skills: grasping, writing, buttoning a shirt).

And here’s something many people don’t realize:
➡️ Motor skills are essential for learning to read and write.
➡️ They also support cognitive functions like perception, planning, and motivation.

How Play Develops Motor Skills

So, how do kids naturally develop strong motor skills? Through free play!

🏃‍♂️ Gross motor skills develop when kids climb, skip, throw, and hop.
✂️ Fine motor skills improve when kids mold playdough, cut and paste, and build with LEGOs.

But when play is replaced by screens, these essential movements aren’t happening as often.

How Screens Are Impacting Motor Development

Research shows that excessive screen time is linked to delays in motor skill development, which then affect cognitive development.

According to UConn KIDS, screen media (TV, tablets, smartphones) can negatively affect fine motor skill development because:
✔️ Screens require repetitive movements (swiping, tapping).
💡 Unlike free play, these repetitive movements don’t engage the full range of fine motor skills.

A study evaluating preschool children found that higher screen usage correlated with weaker fine motor skills. And since fine motor skills are closely linked to cognitive development (they require coordination between the brain and muscles), this is a big deal.

8 Cognitive Functions Strengthened by Fine Motor Activities

To understand just how big of a deal this is, here are 8 critical cognitive functions strengthened by fine motor activities as kids play. To help combat the negative impact of screentime on these skills, I’ve included examples and links to simple playtime activities you can use with your kids.

1. Hand-Eye Coordination: Play helps children process visual information and translate it into precise hand movements, which is essential for writing and drawing.

🎨Example Play: cutting and pasting

2. Problem-Solving and Planning: Play requires children to strategize and adjust their approach to complete tasks successfully.

🧱Example Play: stacking blocks, tying shoelaces, or threading beads

3. Attention and Focus: Play helps children develop concentration and persistence.

🧩 Example Play: puzzles, coloring, and cutting shapes

4. Memory and Recall: Play reinforces procedural memory (how to perform a task without thinking). Activities such as writing letters and numbers become automatic over time.

🧒Example Play: drawing pictures from memory

5. Language and Communication: Hand movements during play support gestures, which play a role in early language development.

🤸‍♂️ Example Play: writing, drawing, charades

6. Spatial Awareness and Perception: Play helps children understand position, depth, and relationships between objects.

🖍️Example Play: puzzles, drawing

7. Emotional Regulation and Patience: Play requires trial and error, which encourages resilience and fosters patience and frustration tolerance.

🏃‍♂️ Example Play: shooting baskets

8. Executive Functioning: Play involves planning, sequencing, and self-control, all necessary for academic success.

✂️Example Play: Building with LEGOs, cutting and pasting

As you can see, fine motor development is not just about grasping objects or writing neatly – it is foundational for higher-level thinking, memory, problem-solving, and self-regulation. Encouraging fine motor activities through play enhances brain function and supports our kids in academic and social settings.

Play Isn't Just for Fun!

Play isn’t just for fun – it’s essential! Together, we must make a concerted effort to ensure screentime isn’t taking away valuable playtime. My books and activities are here to help! The more kids move, create, and explore, the stronger their bodies and brains become!

For more on the effects of too much screentime, I encourage you to check out:

Technology Addiction Statistics: A Wake-Up Call for Parents

Balancing Screen Time for Kids: 3 Effective Strategies

The Impact of Excessive Screen Time on Children’s Behavior and Emotions