Are you looking for ideas to support your child’s development and growth? Well, motor skills are one of the most important areas to explore.
Babies learn about their physical abilities at a very young age. As such, they are much more active than toddlers until age 4. That’s when their gross motor skills become more refined.
If you’re wondering about children’s motor skills development, this article is for you. Read on to learn about “what are motor skills,” the importance of brain and muscle coordination, and ways to help them grow.
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What are Motor Skills?
These skills are the body’s ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way. They are divided into gross and fine motor skills.
Gross motor skills refer to physical abilities such as sitting, standing, walking, and crawling. It involves larger movements and larger trunk, arms, and leg muscles.
Fine motor skills refer to using smaller muscles, like grasping, pinching, drawing, writing, and manipulating objects with the hands. It involves finer, more precise muscle movements in the hands, fingers, and feet.
Establish Fun Ways to Enhance Motor Skills
To establish fun ways to enhance motor skills in children, it is vital to recognize what motor skills the child can perform. It can be done by observing the child and noting hand grips, balance and coordination, and grip strength. After recognizing strengths and weaknesses, finding ways to enhance development skills enjoyably is important.
It could include outdoor play, games, sports, and chores like folding laundry. These activities will also help with developing problem-solving and planning skills.
Playground activities that involve moving from one apparatus to another may also help. Games and activities that need children to go from one station to another or pass or hit an object can help measure hand and eye coordination.
Identify Motor Skill Delays in Children
It is also important to look for gaps in a child’s motor skills. To find delays, it is important to watch the child’s large and small movement skills. Take note of early intervention methods that can help you spot possible delays and give the right help when you need it.
To check on gross motor skills, a doctor or other health care professional might look for the developmental milestones that come with doing tasks that are appropriate for the child’s age. For fine motor skills, doctors will look at how well the hands and eyes work together. It could be based on how well you can draw now and how well you can draw complex shapes.
Further examination or occupational therapy may be suggested if any developmental delays are noticed. An occupational therapist can be consulted to provide specialized intervention to improve motor skills. This step is essential for comprehensively evaluating a child’s motor skills.
Motor Skills in Children are Essential for Development
Motor skills are an essential part of a child’s development. Children must practice and hone their motor skills. It will help them gain confidence and develop coordination, balance, and well-being.
Parents and caregivers can help support the development of these skills. Provide daily opportunities for them to use their muscles to explore and play.
So get out and have fun with your child today!
Check out our other blog posts for more health and lifestyle tips.
