How to Improve a Child's Motor Development
Motor skills develop best during early childhood. Give your child plenty of opportunity to develop fine motor skills, such as manual dexterity, and gross motor skills that involve large muscle groups, such as running. Children develop these skills naturally through play, but you can focus their activities to help them master certain skills.
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Things You'll Need
- Molding dough
- Flour
- Salt
- Vegetable oil
- Coins
- Art materials
- Finger foods
- Hollow pasta or candy
- String
- Sponge bat
- Sponge ball
- Balloons
Instructions
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Fine Motor Skills
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Give the child molding dough to play with. Squeezing and molding the dough strengthens hands. You can buy one of the brands available in toy stores or you can make your own from 1 cup of flour, ½ cup of salt, 1 cup of water and 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil.
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2
Hide coins in a ball of molding dough. The child must pry apart the dough with his hands and retrieve all the coins. Let the child add the coins to his piggy bank as an incentive.
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3
Keep an art box filled with materials for drawing, painting and coloring. The aesthetics of the result aren't important. The process of creation and manipulation improves the motor skills.
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4
Offer small finger food snacks every day. Toasted oat circles provide a perennial favorite for toddlers. You can offer older children a snack tray of nuts and raisins.
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5
Appeal to your child's desire to help. Ask your child to turn the pages of the book as you read to her. Tell your child you need her help opening jars or doors.
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6
Let the child string hollow pasta to make a necklace. If your child isn't motivated to make jewelry, let him string small hollow candy pieces. When he completes the necklace, he can eat it.
Gross Motor Skills
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7
Encourage running by playing old-fashioned tag. Dart elusively from side to side when you're it to help the child control her movements.
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8
Play baseball year around. You can buy large bats and balls made of soft sponge material to use indoors.
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9
Teach your child to catch a ball by starting with balloons. The slow movement of the balloon allows young toddlers to begin to catch.
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10
Provide a safe environment for climbing. Children love to climb and feel powerful when they climb to high vantage points. Give them an age appropriate jungle gym and visit the park frequently.
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