Gross Motor Skills – Introduction

Gross Motor skills are skills which involve movements, or combinations of movements, of the large muscles of the body. They may be distinguished from Fine Motor skills, which involve the small muscles of the hand and eye, but of course there are many overlaps between these 2 skill areas.

The child’s motor development takes place in a very predictable way, passing through such familiar milestones as pushing up with the arms when on the tummy, sitting without support, crawling and taking those first tentative steps. The baby learns to control first her head, then her shoulders, then her hips. As she gains control over these large muscle groups she achieves the strength and stability she needs for the development of smaller muscle groups: first her elbows and knees, then her wrists and ankles, and finally her hands, feet and tongue. It is these smaller muscles that are responsible for ‘quality’ in the child’s skills, while the larger groups hold her stable against gravity.

This section of Small Steps presents the major Gross Motor skills, from birth to the 4-year-old level of development. Different aspects of development are covered in different sequences, as follows:

The table to the right shows you which sequences can be taught in parallel.

Who can use the Gross Motor Skills part of Small Steps?

The Gross Motor Skills part of Small Steps is used particularly for children who, for whatever reason, are delayed (or at risk of delay) in their Gross Motor development. This delay may be due to damage to the central nervous system, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance or visual impairment. Or it may be a slowness in physical development that is not associated with any of these, as with some premature babies.

Who might need specialised assistance?

Seek specialised assistance if you have any doubts about the child’s progress, particularly if your child feels floppy or stiff. Of course, specialised assistance is the ideal with any child with a disability. If you are receiving such help, it is unwise to use this or any other program without discussing it with your specialist first.

Is there any point in teaching Gross Motor skills to the child who is not apparently physically delayed?

Any child will benefit from being taught Gross Motor skills. A child without apparent delays can participate purely for enjoyment. Sometimes a physical disability will not be noticed until the child starts to attempt more advanced skills or fall behind her peers. A child who is at risk of delay can be helped to avoid or minimise it if, through correct handling, her muscles are prepared for ‘normal’ movement. Children with any degree of intellectual disability are at risk of delay in the motor area and therefore should be prepared for these skills from an early age.

What are the main points to remember about teaching Gross Motor Skills?

If babies have difficulty with movement, they may use the wrong muscles or they may use their muscles incorrectly. It is most important to teach the correct use of muscles, in a balanced way, so that a baby will learn to move normally. With babies, there is no need for specific exercise time. Every interaction between you and your baby and every position you leave her in are actually ‘treatment’. You must be conscious of always nursing your baby, carrying her, picking her up and so on, to her best advantage. All the pre-walking exercises in this program can be done as part of normal handling and/or as play activities.