EN
Background. The abilities to maintain control of a particular body position, coordination and fluidity of movements are important factors in acquiring new skills during school education. Material and methods. The experimental group consisted of 25 students aged 6–7 years attending the first grade of a primary school in Poznań. We used standardized tests of graphomotor efficiency in children to assess the level and velocity of writing and measure velocity of hand movements. Results. Children aged 6 are faster in following the graphic letter symbols then their older classmates, however, older pupils present a higher graphic quality of the symbols. A significant positive correlation between the speed of hand movements and the rate of graphomotor movements was noticed in younger children, but not in older ones. Conclusions. The level of fine motor skills is different in the six-year-olds and seven-year-olds. This has to be taken into consideration in the developmental process and acquisition of new motor skills.