Gross motor skills are used when the brain and muscles work together to make big movements with the body. Unlike fine motor skills, which use the small muscles in fingers and toes, gross motor skills involve big muscles used for walking, running, jumping and kicking. Gross motor skills begin developing from birth and continue through adolescence. Although motor skills continue to develop throughout life, the early childhood years offer the most potential for the development of gross motor skills.
Development
Gross and fine motor skills develop in the body from head to toe. A child will learn to hold her head up before learning to sit and then to stand or to walk. Development also begins from the middle of the body and then progresses outward. She will be able to use her shoulder first, followed by her elbow, wrist, hand and, finally, fingers. Gross motor skills usually start out general before becoming specific. For example, a child will swat at an object before learning to grab it.
Newborn to 4 Months
A baby can hold his head up around 3 months of age, and the head will be steady around 6 months. Between 3 and 6 months, he will be able to bounce and to straighten his legs when being helped to stand up. He can roll onto his sides around age 3 months as well and is able to roll from stomach to back between 4 and 6 months. Rolling from back to stomach will follow approximately a month later, and sitting with support comes at about 4 months.
4 to 12 Months
Sitting alone typically occurs between ages 5 and 7 months. During this time, a baby may lean forward to balance with his hands and will be able to push himself into the sitting position by 9 months of age. Crawling occurs between 6 and 9 months, pulling to standing position occurs between 6 and 10 months, and walking occurs around age 12 months, although he will first walk around while holding onto things for support.
12 Months and Older
Around 18 months of age, a child will be able to walk backward and run. The running may be awkward at first but will gradually become more smooth and coordinated. Between 14 and 21 months, she will be able to walk up stairs but may not have the confidence to walk down them. As she changes from a toddler to a preschool-age child, her skills will grow to include sitting in a chair, kicking a ball, standing on one leg, talking while walking, skipping, jumping, hopping, catching and throwing.
Stimulation
Gross motor skills are stimulated through physical activities. A baby with developing motor skills may be more likely to roll over or crawl if the action puts him closer to a toy. For older children, games that include running, jumping or kicking stimulate development, and climbing and walking up and down steps can improve coordination. According to HealthyChildren.org, a child will likely find his own ways to stimulate gross motor skills development.
