Which statement about the development of motor vs verbal skills in early childhood is most accurate?

• A. Verbal skills typically precede motor skills.
• B. Social development is unrelated to motor skill development.
• C. Motor skills develop before verbal skills.
• D. Motor skills are not necessary for social interaction.

Answer: (C)

In early childhood, motor development typically occurs before verbal skills. Children first gain control of their bodies—rolling, sitting up, crawling, then walking—which opens up new ways to explore, manipulate objects, and engage with others. Those motor advances create the experiences and social opportunities that drive language growth, such as playing with peers, gesturing, and joint attention. Early vocalizations (cooing, babbling) appear after some motor milestones, and true words build on that foundation over time. So, the progression from movement to language is the most accurate pattern.

Verbal skills do not typically precede motor skills, and social development is closely tied to motor development because gestures and physical interaction play a key role in communicating and sharing attention. Saying motor skills aren’t necessary for social interaction isn’t accurate, since even simple gestures and movements support social exchange.