What are gross motor skills?
Gross motor skills are the abilities that involve large muscle groups to perform movements like walking, jumping, running, balancing and so on. These skills are essential for everyday activities, such as playing on the playground, getting dressed, and coordination overall. These skills lay the foundation for fine motor development, spatial awareness, and overall body control and it is crucial to support children’s gross motor skills first, before their fine motor skills.
Let’s break down what gross motor skills mean…
There are many components that make up gross motor skills, which include:
Balance – The ability to maintain control of the body’s position during movement or while stationary (eg standing on one foot or riding a bike).
Coordination – The ability to use different body parts smoothly and efficiently together (eg skipping, dribbling a basketball).
Strength – The muscle power required for movements like lifting, pushing, pulling, and jumping.
Endurance – The ability to sustain physical activity over time without excessive fatigue (eg running, swimming).
Postural Control – The ability to stabilize the body for seated and standing activities, which supports fine motor tasks like writing and eating.
Body Awareness – Understanding where the body is in space and how it moves in relation to objects and people (eg navigating obstacles).
Motor Planning – The ability to think about, sequence, and execute movements effectively (eg climbing a jungle gym, learning a dance routine).
Bilateral Coordination – The ability to use both sides of the body together in a coordinated way (eg jumping jacks, catching a ball with both hands).
Reaction Time – The ability to quickly respond to stimuli, essential for activities like sports and crossing the street safely.
Locomotion – The ability to move the body from one place to another using different movement patterns (eg walking, running, hopping, skipping).
Agility – The ability to move quickly and easily while maintaining control, especially when changing direction (eg navigating an obstacle course).
As you can see there are so many elements that contribute to a persons overall gross motor skills. Each of these elements plays a critical role in a child’s ability to explore their environment, engage in play, and develop their independence.
You might be wondering at this point in time, how do I know if my child may need support with their gross motor skills? If you’re noticing the following, it may be an indicator:
Difficulty running or jumping in comparison to their peers
Appears clumsy and uncoordinated in their movements
Struggles to catch and throw a ball
Frequently trips, falls or bumps into objects
Tires or fatigues quickly after physical movement
Avoid physical movement such as engaging in sports or the playground
Slouches when sitting
May have a fear of stairs
Has difficulty learning to skip or hop
So what can you do about it? If you’re unsure of your child’s gross motor abilities, it may be time to refer to a Physiotherapy or OT assessment. Otherwise, you can try incorporate the following activity ideas into your daily routine to boost their gross motor skills.
1. Engage in animal walks (eg hop like a frog, walk like a crab – you can find a whole set of these cards on my shop)
2. Engage in outdoor play
3. Dance to music
4. Create an obstacle course at home (crawl under chairs, jump over pillows)
5. Balloon volleyball
6. Hop-scotch
7. Play tag
8. Bean bag toss
Tips for Success!
Make it fun! – Turn exercises into games or challenges to keep children engaged. Play-based movement is the best way to build skills naturally.
Start with strengths – Build confidence by incorporating movements a child enjoys before introducing more challenging activities.

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