Developing gross motor skills is an essential part of development. Children start developing their gross motor skills from birth through obtaining control over their head, trunk and limbs and rapidly increase their abilities throughout the preschool years. Gross motor skills are essential because a child’s body develops from large movements with arms and legs to smaller more refined movements of the hands and fingers. Gross motor control enables children to develop the fine motor movements that are essential for success in the school years.
Practice Makes Perfect
Muscle strength, coordination and flexibility all affect a child’s ability to perform motor skills. Low muscle tone or poor balance can affect the ability to demonstrate mastery of skills like throwing or catching a ball, riding a bike or climbing on a jungle gym. If your child is having difficulty with games that demand gross motor control, you can help his development by adopting a positive attitude while you help him practice the skill. Children learn best when an activity is fun, so be sure to focus on the positive to keep your child’s willingness to play with you alive. With playful, supportive repetition, your child’s gross motor skills should noticeably improve.
Break It Down
According to William Sears, M.D., children who are learning gross motor skills sometimes need to have the activity broken into smaller steps to make it more achievable. Simplify the task and provide frequent rest breaks while giving positive reinforcement for a job well done. If your child seems to be getting frustrated, it is OK to switch gears ito another playful activity. Keeping learning fun will enable your child to relax, which keeps the brain and body primed for neural muscle memory to revitalize.
Visualization
When your child is learning an activity that is hard for her, therapist Ty Clement recommends that you encourage the use of visualization to promote learning. After your child's bedtime routine, have her settle comfortably in her bed. Ask your child to imagine herself doing the activity perfectly. Describe how it looks in your mind to see her doing the activity. Be sure to include all the details of the movement as well as how happy she looks doing it. Ask her to picture in her mind doing the activity while she laughs. While this visualization tool is being used, be sure to tell her that you had to learn how to do this too; children often believe that their parents have always known how to do everything and it can be helpful to their self-esteem to realize that you fell off your bike in the beginning as well but that,with practice, you did learn how to do it.
School Readiness Activities
School readiness is largely indicated by the possession of gross motor skills such as jumping, climbing, hopping, skipping and playing ball games. The ability to access control over arms and legs indicates readiness to work on skills like writing, which require finer control over movement. Playing hopscotch, baseball, soccer, or jump rope with your child can help him to enhance his gross motor movement control and will provide your child with memories to last a lifetime as well as skills that will enhance his success in school.
A Little Extra Support
Always keep in mind that children have differing rates of development. Focusing on the skills your child has mastered instead of on those she hasn’t mastered is very important; however, if your child is feeling inadequate about her abilities or if you suspect that your child is delayed in her gross motor movements, it is advisable to have your child evaluated. Studies show that early intervention offers the highest success rates among children that have special needs, and specialists may be able to help your child to find success within their own abilities.
References
- "Why Motor Skills Matter: Improving Your Child's Physical Development to Enhance Learning and Self-Esteem";Tara Losquadro & Laura Yorke; 2003
- "Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling"; John Holt; 2003
- "The Attachment Parenting Book"; William and Martha Sears; 2001
- "Being Ourself"; Ty Clement; 2009
