18 month old has no ability with cutlery, an open cup, crayons.

[noskill]

At all. Even a bit. I don't know where I've gone wrong. He seems so behind in these areas compared to all his playmates. I know they don't do it all the time, or neatly, or very well, but my son can't do any of it at all.

I noticed every single child at the table at playgroup today could drink their juice from an open cup without handles. My son refuses to attempt it. He won't join in with the arty stuff, won't keep a pencil/crayon in his hand longer than 5 seconds except to put it in his mouth. Has never scribbled. Cutlery is ignored.

What do I do? Where do I start?

Oh I bet he's good at other stuff that the other 18 months can't get to grips with like talking and stairs.

Just leave him alone and stop worrying, comparing and stressing.

He's 18 months old not five.

My daughter is 2.6 and still has a sippy cup, everytime we introduce an open cup she pours it over herself. Don't worry he will catch up, I bet is is more advanced in other ways.

No words yet. Walked at a year. Can climb stairs. I just don't know how to teach him these things when he actively refuses to cooperate. Do they just get it at some point? All the milestone thingys say he should be getting the hang of cutlery, should be producing scribbles.

He'll just get it. Keep handing stuff to him, eventually he'll figure it out.

And throw away the milestone thingys!

Hi

My 2 yr old still can't drink out of an open cup!

As for cutlery, I would sit her in her highchair with a bowl of jelly and a spoon and let her play with it. Jelly is good as it is soft but also firm enough to scoop up, also not too messy. After a lot of 'jellytime' she was able to use a spoon and has now moved onto fork.

As for crayons etc. I think they do that in their own time.

they just get it, just enjoy 'em while they are so little

can he manage a sippy cup? 18 months sounds young to me to worry about open cups.

what about other fine motor stuff - play doh, or puzzles, or threading?

Sippy cup with great skill yes. Wont entertain the notion of touching playdoh, he actively shies away from it. Threading no, puzzles no.

duplo? building block towers?

what can he do with his hands, other than a sippy cup?

He can throw a ball, push wheeled toys, stack one cup if shown it first but won't try it otherwise, doesn't build a tower, can pull duplo apart but not connect it, he picks up small bits of food well - rice, peas, sweetcorn, attempts to brush his teeth, can turn pages and point to objects, can clap if shown first.

He's 18 mo, not 3 years old! He is a baby.

Are the others at playgroup a lot older?

If left to his own devices he will push his wheelybug round and throw/kick his ball, or pick up a book.

Sounds perfectly normal to me!

What more do you want him to do at his age? I've seriously never met an 18mo who was even remotely interesting in threading things or even had the dexterity to do it. I'd be surprised if he wanted to draw at that age although some are keen on making marks on paper. I think you are comparing him with children who are a lot older (either that or they are the Midwich Cuckoos).

The others at playgroup are all walking. The youngest in his group is 13 months, the oldest is just shy of 2. All of the children his age or younger attempt an open cup and only a couple need any help. (they are younger). There are 4 children within a month of him.

sounds like his fine motor skills are ok (picking up small bits of food always a good indicator )

if he were my ds, I'e keep an eye on it, and probably talk to someone in the next couple of n=months if htings like use of cutlery (attempts to use, rather than precision!) or scribbling or playing with play doh don't come on.

sounds like he might be a it sensory averse - will he do any messy play at all?

duchesse its just that everyone says about scribbling being important at 18 months.

No. Messy play is ignored by him at all costs.

I'd expect an 18 month old to:

be able to (not brilliantly) stack some blocks
make a decent stab at a peg puzzle (by trial and error)
mark marks on paper - scribbling and daubing paint about

the turning pages etc is good stuff. maybe it is down to his interests?

Ignore them! As long as he is happy and developing at his own rate I wouldn't worry

Fwiw Ds is 2y4m and at that age wasn't really interested in drawing, now he is mastering drawing and trying to write his name.

he sounds quite tactile defensive, especially around his hands.

is he ok investigating different textures - lie in the 'that's not my....' series, or different stuff like scratchy/smooth/rough/etc?

Are most of the others at playgroup girls? As the mum of 4DS's, I think it's valid to point out that DD often IME anyway, seem to pick up these particular tasks at a younger age than many DS do.

My 16mo DS4 wont draw on paper, only eats the crayons too, however, if I pour a little blob of coloured water on a tray, he will spread it around and draw lines of wet marks all over it, and as far as I am concerned, this counts as "making marks on paper"! Why not try that and see if your DS engages in a bit of "finger painting"?

Pointing, throwing a ball, picking up tiny bits of food..... all good!

Yes no problem with dry texture, scratchy, soft, knobbly etc. AnythIng gloopy is out.

Except food. Spag Bol with hands nO problem.