How to Develop a Toddler's Motor Skills
Toddlers are always learning and exploring and, while exploring, they are also figuring out how to maneuver their bodies and use their muscles. They are learning motor skills. There are two types of motor skills, gross and fine. Gross motor skills involve big muscles that are used for activities such as running and jumping. Fine motor skills focus on the hands and fingers, as used in writing. While your toddler’s motor skills will improve over time, there are a few things you can do to help him develop.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Go outside and play. Children learn a lot by repetition. Practice tossing a ball back and forth. At first, your child won’t have the hand-eye coordination to handle the ball but, eventually, he will get better and more adept at throwing and catching. Try jumping and hopping with your child. Jumping will help him understand force and speed, while hopping encourages balance.
-
2
Buy a coloring book. Kids love to scribble, write and draw. That’s why coloring is a fun way to help develop your child’s fine motor skills. Show him the proper way to hold a crayon and help him outline a picture in the book to get him comfortable with the crayon.
-
-
3
Ride a tricycle. Learning the ins and outs of riding a tricycle can be frustrating for a toddler. That’s because she has to get used to pushing her foot forward on a pedal. By now, toddlers are accustomed to pushing down to move, whether it’s walking, running, or climbing steps. Pushing forward is a new motion and she may end up going backwards instead of forward on the tricycle, depending on the position of the pedal. Adjust her foot when it slips off or goes in the wrong direction. With practice, she’ll master the tricycle in no time.
-
4
Play circle games. Do you remember childhood games, such as duck, duck, goose and hot potato? Your child can learn a lot from these classic circle games and these games really encourage gross motor skill use. Your child will even improve his listening abilities as a bonus.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Allowing a child to do everyday activities, such as getting dressed, brushing teeth and combing hair, can have a great impact on developing motor skills.
Do not try to control your child’s every move when developing motor skills. You could risk hindering his potential. Let him play freely and give him a chance to make mistakes.
