Gross Motor Skills For Toddlers

Having good motor skills can make a huge difference in a child’s physical and mental development. These motor skills are used to move your arms, legs, and torso in a functional manner. As they grow bigger and older, these skills will help them in activities such as walking, jumping, running, sitting upright, skipping, lifting, and more.

Difference between Gross & Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are functions in moving hands and feet in a complex manner. Simply said, they are small muscle activities. Unlike the gross motor skills which involve big movements such as running and jumping. Fine motor skills are for activities like writing and drawing.

Impact of Delay Development in Motor Skills

It’s important to remember that every child grows at a different rate. At the same time, having poor gross motor skills can impact them in all areas of life. Slow development will bring unwanted consequences. It can make it hard to do important tasks with school, sport, and home. Difficulty with motor skills can also take a toll on self-esteem.

If you notice that your toddler is experiencing delayed development and growth in these areas:

• Posture
• Stability
• Balance & Coordination
• Muscle Strength

These could be the signs of a problem that requires intervention and treatment. Do consult and talk about your concerns with your doctor if you feel there might be an interference with your child’s gross motor skill development.

5 Indoor Motor Skills For Toddlers

There are tons of fun and effortless ways to promote gross motor skills in your toddler between the age of 1 and 2. We at BabyOrganix have 5 activities that you can do without stepping out of the house. And the best part is, kids at this age are curious. It will be easy to get their attention to do these activities:

1. Soft toys tossing
   Set up a basket and show your toddler how to toss soft toys or balls in it. As they get better in it, make the basket slightly further. This helps them to enhance their coordination and muscle strengths.
   
2. Climbing
   Set up a large couch cushion on the floor to climb on. You can also practice with stairs. Practice stepping up onto a 2 to 4-inches surface on a curb or low step.
   
3. Balance beam/ Walking on the line
   You don’t actually need an actual beam for this activity. Just stick some small size colour papers to form a beam on the floor or a line on the floor (often made with tape) and children practice carefully walking on it.
   
4. Jump boxes
   Reuse the tapes to form square boxes on the floor. Jumping helps to develop coordination and tone leg muscles.
   
5. Dancing
   Whether it’s a dance class or an indoor dance party, dancing is good gross motor practice. Dancing helps motor sequencing skills. It also helps build your child’s awareness of rhythm.