Is This Normal?

[Unregistered]

I am fairly new to daycare and my only experience with children is raising my own son who is a few months shy of 3 years old. I have a few daycare kids all around 2. One boy I watch is about 2.5, just two months younger than my son. I try not to compare as I know that every child is different and develops at a different rate but I'm starting to get concern about the daycare boy. His fine motor skills are seriously lacking. I've been working with him as best I can with no formal education in child development (primarily coloring with crayons, puzzles, easy lacing beads, etc). However, he is not improving and seems to have no interest in anything but racing trains around the train table and running and climbing outside. I know that's probably pretty normal but all of my kids wants to do SOMETHING else at some point during the day and DS loves to do these things in addition to the gross motor skills. Even with the trains, DS builds elaborate wooden train tracks and acts out his favorite Thomas stories but daycare boy just races around in a circle. While coloring I try to get him to hold the crayon tightly and press hard but he holds it very loosely and makes scribbles I would expect a one year old to make. He also shows no preference for his left or right hand and switches back and forth. He's still doing chunky puzzles with some effort while DS does preschool-age floor puzzles by himself.

I'm trying to teach daycare boy how to put his shoes on. A task that all of my kids can do (even the one that is not yet two) and he acts like he can't even hold on to the shoes tightly enough to push his foot in and shows no coordination when trying. I'm really at a loss as to how to help this child progress.

He has wonderful gross motor skills and can climb like a little monkey and runs very well. But, his fine motor skills are alarmingly behind and his mom (single mom) and grandma seem to be oblivious. Grandma does alphabet flash cards with him at home (which she told me he hates, duh!) but they seem to have skipped some really basic concepts. I have a very hard time understanding anything he says, he has trouble following directions, and doesn't seem to know the most basic concepts of open/close, in/out, top/bottom, etc. Anyway, I'm starting to ramble. I guess my question is, does this seem normal for an active little boy and he will catch up later or should I be concerned and discuss with mom/grandma? Thanks!

[daycare]

I am fairly new to daycare and my only experience with children is raising my own son who is a few months shy of 3 years old. I have a few daycare kids all around 2. One boy I watch is about 2.5, just two months younger than my son. I try not to compare as I know that every child is different and develops at a different rate but I'm starting to get concern about the daycare boy. His fine motor skills are seriously lacking. I've been working with him as best I can with no formal education in child development (primarily coloring with crayons, puzzles, easy lacing beads, etc). However, he is not improving and seems to have no interest in anything but racing trains around the train table and running and climbing outside. I know that's probably pretty normal but all of my kids wants to do SOMETHING else at some point during the day and DS loves to do these things in addition to the gross motor skills. Even with the trains, DS builds elaborate wooden train tracks and acts out his favorite Thomas stories but daycare boy just races around in a circle. While coloring I try to get him to hold the crayon tightly and press hard but he holds it very loosely and makes scribbles I would expect a one year old to make. He also shows no preference for his left or right hand and switches back and forth. He's still doing chunky puzzles with some effort while DS does preschool-age floor puzzles by himself.

I'm trying to teach daycare boy how to put his shoes on. A task that all of my kids can do (even the one that is not yet two) and he acts like he can't even hold on to the shoes tightly enough to push his foot in and shows no coordination when trying. I'm really at a loss as to how to help this child progress.

He has wonderful gross motor skills and can climb like a little monkey and runs very well. But, his fine motor skills are alarmingly behind and his mom (single mom) and grandma seem to be oblivious. Grandma does alphabet flash cards with him at home (which she told me he hates, duh!) but they seem to have skipped some really basic concepts. I have a very hard time understanding anything he says, he has trouble following directions, and doesn't seem to know the most basic concepts of open/close, in/out, top/bottom, etc. Anyway, I'm starting to ramble. I guess my question is, does this seem normal for an active little boy and he will catch up later or should I be concerned and discuss with mom/grandma? Thanks!

as you said, you cant compare apples to oranges..

BOY especially tend to stay in the play stages much much longer than girls do. Again like you said, don't compare him to another child. he sounds like he is just really enjoying being in the play stage right now and there is nothing worng with that at all.

Now if he can't play with the toys the way they are intended to be palyed with so to speak, can't relate to the other children in anyway or is not able to keep an interest in something then maybe I would be a little bit concerned. For the most part, this child sounds very normal to me.

As for the shoes, I have kids that are almost 4 that still need help with their shoes. again every child is different.

Also, what happens at home,. DO the parents do everything for this child? Possible and if this is the case, it will take longer for the boy to catch on to things because hes so used to having everyone do everything for him.

Is he full time or part time??

[canadiancare]

there are many developmental checklists online that you can use to assess him and see if any red flags are raised. Dressing is a tricky one since you need to factor in whether he is given opportunity to do it himself (if he takes too long do people give up and take over?) is his clothing easy to manipulate or are his shoes too small, too stiff etc. is he dressed in easy up pants or does he have little, fashionable skinny jeans to try and manoeuvre around.

In the end if he is happy and engaged and you are providing him opportunity to learn about crayons and paper and making marks you can wait and see if he starts to show more interest.

[Soccermom]

Sounds like a normal active little boy to me.
Some boys don't care for coloring, puzzles or crafting...then again some girls don't either. My DD hated coloring until she was about 5, she would rush through it as fast as she could and move on to the next activity. She also couldn't do puzzles until about age 4, it worried me sick. I kept trying but she just wasn't interested in all that quiet play. She wanted to be outside, running and using her imagination.
She is now a straight A student and she loves school (although her writting is pretty sloppy ).
I wouldn't be concerned. I would encourage you to continue trying to find a fine motor skill activity that might interest DCB but if he doesn't bite, don't fret about it.
You are doing a good job as a DP just by being worried about him

[cheerfuldom]

As long as he wasnt being disruptive to the daycare, then I would just leave it alone. Encourage but do not insist he participate in the educational activities (unless you require participation as a part of your program). It is very hard to address anything regarding delays and I personally dont do it unless it is hugely alarming, disruptive to the daycare or otherwise needs to be addressed immediately by the parents. In this case, I would just let him do his thing and possibly re-evaluate that decision once he gets closer to 3.

[Nellie]

This DCB sounds alot like my 2.5 year old son. I have a DCB who is 5 days older that can do alot more. We had my son evaluated for a speech delay and they checked every thing else out too. My son's speech delay is 20 months on a bad day and 27 months on a good day. Even on good days he seems like he is more than 3 months behind. My 2.5 year old DCB can tell you what happened though out the day, speak in complete sentences, and use wide range of words. I feel like I'm lucky when my son will put 3 or 4 basic words together. My son doesn't like to do arts and crafts and the other educational activities. He now likes ABC's so he will participate with letter activities. We can hardly get him to hold a crayon, paint brush, ect but he can lace beads on string. He seems to have good fine motor control in play, but when it comes to sit down tasks he has little time for it. There is a website with TOT Trays that I use and he likes some of the exersises from them like pouring water into cups, spooning, and using tongs he likes. My son likes to play with himself the majority of the time and run around in his own play, where most of the other kids are very social and will play together. My other children and most other DCK's from the past have always been more advanced by this age. But so far theripists and doctors say my son is where he should be(besides speech).

[cheerfuldom]

sometimes kids are just late bloomers, thats normal too! my 17 month old can speak in 4 word sentences and will sit and color with the big kids and do lacing beads. her fine motor skills out crazy good. but she isnt walking yet...hasnt even taken a step. She is delayed in that regard but there is nothing "wrong" with her that the doctors can see. For now, she is just a late bloomer physically.