As infants, children, and adolescents grow, they go through a process of developing increasingly complex gross motor, fine motor, language, learning, and social skills. 

• Gross motor skills refer to the use of the large muscles in the arms, legs, or trunk that are used to run, walk, change positions, and maintain balance.

• Fine motor skills are those involving small muscle groups that are used to draw, use a knife, fork, and spoon, do up buttons or zippers, and use a pencil or pen to write.

• Language skills involve more than producing words; they also involve being able to use body language and gestures to communicate thoughts and feelings to others and, in turn, to understand what others are communicating through words, body language or gestures.

• Cognitive skills are those used to think and learn, to figure out problems, and remember.           

Social skills are those used to get along with others and understand their feelings, have relationships with family members and others outside the family such as teachers, neighbours and friends, and to be able to cooperate with others.