No child is born with flawless motor skills, but rather motor development is acquired through learning and practice. Proficiency of motor movements is a combination of physical development and cultivating skills through experience. Not only motor skills enable children to walk or play but also to write or draw. Without appropriate motor skill development, children might not receive the proper amount of physical activity or might struggle in school.

MOTOR DEVELOPMENT

Fine-Motor Development

Promote Fine-motor development by encouraging your child to:

  • Brush his or her teeth
  • Use crayons, pencils and markers
  • Cut with scissors
  • Play with clay, sand and water
  • Assemble puzzles
  • Trace objects using stencils
  • Help prepare food by mixing, pouring and stirring
  • Measuring and rolling
  • Make necklaces and bracelets by stringing o-shaped cereal and macaroni
  • Pick up cotton balls or other small objects with tongs
  • Zip and button
  • Buckle seat belts
  • Finger paint
  • Draw circles, squares and triangles
  • Trace shapes, letters and numbers
  • Dress and undress without assistance

Gross-Motor Development

Children should participate in activities that strengthen their muscle control.

These include:

  • Dancing
  • Hopping on one foot
  • Jump roping
  • Climbing
  • Exercising
  • Riding a bicycle with training wheels
  • Roller-Skating
  • Learning to swim
  • Marching to music
  • Throwing a ball underhand
  • Catching a ball or a beanbag
  • Kicking or bouncing a ball