Fine and Gross Motor
What are Gross and Fine Motor skills?
Gross Motor Skills are the bigger movements such as rolling over and sitting. Any movements that use the large muscles in the arms, legs, torso and feet.
Fine Motor Skills are the smaller movements such as picking up small objects and holding a spoon. Any movements that use the small muscles of the fingers, toes, wrists, lips and tongue.
What are the signs of poor fine and gross motor development?
Gross Motor
- Children may have poor spatial awareness, bumping into things a lot of the time.
- May have trouble sitting upright, constantly flop over in thier chair
- May find it difficult to co-ordinate movements e.g. ride a bike, kick a ball
Fine Motor Skills
- Children may have difficulty picking up small objects e.g. lego bricks or small pieces of cereal
- May have difficulty using cutlery
- Children might find it difficult to use scissors
- Find handwriting challenging
How can I help my child at home?
Playing lots of games wiht your child, visiting the park, anything that involves running, climbing etc.
Playing with playdough, encourage rolling , squeezing, pinching
Writing with different things such as paint brushes, in the sand, using chalks
Placing small items into pots e.g. small pieces of cereal, lego
Threading things
Sewing
Playing games such as KerPlunk
Building things with lego
