When children turn 2 years old, almost all of them acquire such vital skills as standing, walking, running, etc. These skills improve and build up daily, making a child’s actions more confident and smoother. But what is the actual name for them, and how important are they?

These are Gross motor skills. These are the physical skills that involve the work of the whole body and large muscles. The work arms, legs, and core make it possible to perform such activities as walking, lifting, and sitting.

The development starts from the newborn stage and up until 5 years. Here is a brief recap. Babies first learn how to hold their lifted and turn it sideways, kicking arms and legs while on their back. In 6-8 months, they figure out how to sit and crawl while on their belly. As one-year-olds, they can almost walk and stand up without any support. In the next 3 to 4 years, they learn to jump, kick, catch a ball, swim, and many more.

For a child to develop successfully, some skills are needed. The ability to balance, coordination, and core strength are required for gross motor skills.

Gross motor skills are also vital for fine motor skills development. While the first ones are in charge of the work of larger body parts (legs, arms), the latter is concerned with smaller movements of hands, fingers, or toes. They are involved in such actions as writing, picking up things, and brushing their teeth. Fine motor skills develop along with gross motor skills but still appear later. This means that the whole development starts from gross motor skills.

Although the importance of gross motor skills is evident, there are numerous reasons parents need to pay close attention to their development. first and foremost - everyday physical functions. Apart from obvious skills such as walking or standing, this also deals with the independent performance of a child. The ability to take care of themselves, put on clothes, brush their teeth, getting in and out of bed.

Gross motor skills also are required for successful school life. Starting from basic skills such as sitting at a desk, writing or drawing, and going from classroom to classroom. With developed gross motor skills, children learn how to navigate in space and participate in various academic or physical activities for a whole day.

Gross motor skills are an evitable tool for everyday life. However, the consequences of poorly developed skills are quite broad. This may lead to an inability to concentrate, body control, and poor endurance. The ability to sit upright at a table for a long time may result in bad posture. Children will need to develop fine motor skills to write or cut things. This may also affect their social life by spending time with peers at a playground. gross motor skills make it possible to climb up things, play games, getting in and out of spaces. It also helps with maintaining balance and quickly changing the direction of moves.

Is there a way to detect gross motor skills problems in a child? the mentioned skills may, their absence or poor level of development may be used as signals. In addition, children with such difficulties tend to be indifferent to physical tasks. they may avoid them or participate just a little. However, they may take control of the activity instead and tell others what to do. Moreover, the quality of tasks may decrease if a child finds it difficult. In this case, a child also might try to complete the task as fast as possible. It is due to a lack of skills or even a low level of energy.

Although it is generally advised to refer to professionals to check the development, there are ways to improve them. What is more, such exercises are exciting and easy for a child. They usually come in the form of a game or fun activity. So doing them won’t take much persuasion.

Playing with a ball is an easy way to develop gross motor skills. A child must throw it and catch it back, bounce it, or roll it. The game’s perk is that it can be played with other children or parents.

Coordination and body control may be developed through balance beams. Tet a bar or bricks, or simply mark the line with tape. To make it more fun for a child, a set can be set. For example, they are in the jungle with a river under the beam, or the floor is lava.

An obstacle course is another fun option. There are tons of options for easy or more difficult courses. It is advised to use various surfaces of different heights and widths. This way, a child has to use various skills such as jumping, crawling, and catching something.

“Simon says” is a great game for a group of children. It helps to develop listening skills, speed, and awareness. children have to perform actions said after the “Simon says” phrase. They can be relatively easy, such as “jump 5 times”. The difficulty level may be changed by adding multiple actions in one phrase. For example, “Simon says turn around yourself, clap 3 times and touch your nose”. Moreover, the game trains attentiveness and concentration. If a task is said without “Simon says” first, children have to skip the turn. If they still do it, they are eliminated.

Gross motor skills can also be developed in children’s clubs. Dance classes, martial arts, and gymnastics are excellent ways to strengthen muscles and develop overall body control under the control of professionals. For fine motor skills drawing classes, music schools, or craft classes can be visited.

The only criterion when choosing a club is a child’s interest and personal involvement. to reach maximum effect and develop skills in a safe and right manner, a child has to be attentive. so let them pick an activity and enjoy it. It is also crucial to develop them routinely. In the wake of technology, it is easy to forget about them and keep a child busy with a screen. So, make sure they get their daily norm of physical activity.