Why Gross Motor Skills and Activities are so Important
What are gross motor skills?
Chances are, as a parent, you know exactly what gross motor skills are, but if not, you might be familiar with them in terms of a different name. Gross motor skills might also be referred to as developmental milestones by some, although that contains a broader scope of milestones including cognitive, communicative, and social milestones, all of which are still incredibly important! When we talk about gross motor skills, we are speaking on the importance of movement development, learning how to use and control one’s large muscle groups, the endurance these muscle groups may have, balance, body awareness, and other important building blocks. There are also fine motor skills, which have more to do with coordination and using smaller muscle groups, most often in the hands and wrists, which are just as important. The earliest developments in motor skills are often considered to be when a baby can lift up his or her head on their own, followed by rolling over, sitting up on his or her own, and crawling. But these milestones do not stop here, they continue on into childhood, marking when a toddler begins to walk, feed themselves, run, balance on one leg, and eventually become more coordinated to skip, stack items, and draw, bringing more fine motor skills into the mix as well.
Why are they important for children?
Based on the previously mentioned list of gross motor skills, you can begin to understand just why they are so important in the first few years of a child’s life. Gross motor skills and their correct development are what help to make a child autonomous, setting them up for success throughout the rest of their lives! Not only do these skills help children to play with one another and have fun, but they are necessary for being able to dress themselves, feed themselves, and even be able to sit at attention when learning or carry a school bag. Studies have also been done showing that children with strong gross motor skills may be more likely to have better academic achievement, better social and emotional development, more self-confidence, greater cognitive development, as well as better physical health and fitness. You can read more about these here. Having a good base of gross motor skills makes learning new things later in life even easier for a child, things like different sports, activities, and hobbies, like the coordination needed for basketball or baseball, the strength needed for skiing, or the steady hand needed for certain crafts like painting.
What activities help children develop their gross motor skills?
Now, I’m not saying you need to sign your child up for all the activities you can, or that he or she needs to go to the gym and work on these skills, but there are some fun activities that they can take part in at home (or at Play Date!) that will help your child develop these essential skills. Here are some to try!
Get some chalk (or tape for indoors)
Sidewalk chalk is such a great tool to create so many different activities with. A simple line can be drawn for a “balance beam” to help your child walk heel to toe, helping to promote balance. After mastering this, it can be made more difficult by drawing a squiggly line or walking backwards. Chalk is also great for creating a game of hopscotch. The different motions required, such as hopping on one foot, both feet, or landing with them together or separately help to fine tune balance, coordination, and timing. As a bonus, drawing with chalk can also help fine motor skills! If you do not have a place to draw with chalk or on a rainy day, tape can be used inside for the same effect.
Play ball
Evidenced by many different sports, many different games can be played with a simple ball. Enhance coordination by tossing, catching, kicking, or bouncing a ball. It is best to begin with a larger size, as it is easier to keep an eye on the ball and to catch. As coordination increases, a smaller ball with help to fine tune these skills.
Keep the balloon up
Similar to playing catch is the oh-so-fun don’t let the balloon touch the floor. This is a great activity that often requires kids to run around and learn the timing of the balloon, trying to volley it or keep it from touching the ground. My kids LOVE this game!
Have a dance party
This is a fun activity that lets your child’s creativity out, as they learn to move their bodies in different ways. Just letting them get their wiggles out in their own way is great, but you can also have them copy your dance move, then copy one of theirs. Try switching it up between slow and fast songs as well to help them learn how to use different movements. A super fun dance party will help your child learn coordination, balance, and their body awareness.
Play Simon Says
Another way to improve and encourage movement is to play Simon Says. When first playing, make sure you demonstrate the moves you want your child to make, so he or she learns what different movements are called. When they are confident, then you can do without making the moves. Apart from body awareness and coordination, this also encourages children to listen for the right words, as they should only do something if Simon says!
Create an obstacle course
Obstacle courses are a great way to combine many different activities and work on many different motor skills at once. Hopping from pillow to pillow, utilizing old wood, or tape, for a balance beam, crawling through a tunnel, or even climbing are all great activities for children. The best part is that an obstacle course can be customized to your child’s skill level and made more difficult when they are ready. It is also something that can be done both indoors or outdoors.
Go for a walk off the beaten path
Going for a walk is great, but oftentimes the path is perfectly level and does not require much skill. This is good most of the time, but when trying to build muscle and endurance, it is too easy. Having kids walk on uneven ground like in the grass or over gravel helps to strengthen their ankles and balance, especially when stepping over sticks or rocks.
Go to a playground
Like obstacle courses, playgrounds offer a wide variety of activities all in one, creating an amazing opportunity for many motor skills to be developed all at once! You may have a playground in your backyard or one in your community park, but for those hot summer and freezing winter days, we invite you to come check out our indoor playground.