Children
begin to develop their muscles and movement skills the moment they are born.
These are also called motor skills.As children grow, their muscles become stronger and more developed.
There are two
kinds of motor skills:gross
motor skills and fine motor skills.The gross motor skills involve the largest muscles in the body, the arms
and legs.These muscles are used to
crawl, walk, run and jump.The fine
motor skills involve small muscles like those in the hands and face.These muscles are used to grasp, hold, write, talk and see.Whether your child is a newborn or a four-year-old, you are preparing
him/her for school.As a parent,
you can help your child develop these motor skills with simple activities at
home.
In
this lesson, you will find simple activities to do with your child(ren) that
will help develop these gross motor and fine motor skills.
Each
time you click on a link below, a new window will open. To return to this
page, close the new window.
Activity 1:
Go to the
website listed below. Find the area labeled “movement”.
Next, find the age of your child(ren) and click on the link. In the
article, you will learn how your child(ren) develop movement skills.
Go to the
website below. Choose the age
of your child and then click on “development” first and then click on "physical
development".This website will explain stages of development for you to look for in
your child.You will learn how to
see if your child is developing the same as other children his/her age.You will also find activities that you can do at home.
Go to the
website below. Choose your child’s age range.This chart will show you what you can expect from your child.Look at the column labeled “Mastered Skills”.Click on the links in the chart to read more about each motor skill.You will also find a link called “your role”.This link will give you activities to do with your child at home.