The topic under discussion is about the motor development of young children. Each child, as an individual being, has the ability and rights to move about according to his or her own will, and all the movements that take place in the body are due to the development of what are called “motor skills”.
Motor skills are the ability to physically move to be able to do things. These can be classified into fine motor skills and gross motor skills. The fine motor skills include small tasks such as holding a pencil, or manipulating small objects. Gross motor skills include larger activities such as jumping, hopping, etc.
The motor skills of a child help him through the developmental processes while growing up. A child should be introduced to the hands, some occupational therapists say, before being given a pencil to write (Motor Skills and Child Development, 2002). The introduction of motor skills and play activities should be a part of a school-going child’s curriculum, and is an essential element of the daily timetable, for brain nurturing as well as physical well-being.
Parents should encourage and introduce new motor experiences to their rising children, to foster their growth (Gardner, B., 2003). Activities should be included in the daily schedules which do not frustrate but encourage the children to get involved. The development of fine motor skills which are the coordination of the small muscles of the hands with the eyes, requires practice, and is gained over time (Understanding Fine Motor Development).
Motor development usually takes its pace gradually, and on its own, but it does not exactly suddenly just happen. A lot of strength and coordination is required on the child’s part, unless he has been born prematurely or there is some other medical problem. Motor development usually begins at the head and progresses downwards to the trunk, arms, and legs (Needlman, R., 2004). All the early movements turn into more mature movements, with the course of time, and children themselves become eager to learn more, once they feel the joy of the activities they indulge in. Surprisingly, it is also said that each child knows what he is going to learn next.
It is essential to give the child his own space for motor growth and development, and not expect him to do certain things according to his chronologic age. For example, it is not necessary for an infant to take his first step by the time he is one. I have a two year old girl, who would not start walking, due to some natural resistance. My in-laws were very worried for her, but I always remained relaxed, as I knew she would take a step ‘one day’. The patience paid off, as she started walking at one year and three months, without any proper guidance imparted to her. She just stood up on her own one day, and started taking steps. It was a joyous experience for all of us, including her, but the strange feelings that the elders of the family would get at the sight of her resistance to walk, all faded away in due time. It is thus important to remain calm and let the child do things his own way, instead of forcing him and then further delaying the growth and development processes.
References
Developing Fine Motor Skills. 2008. Web.
Gardner, B. Understanding Motor Development 2003. Web.
Motor Skills and Child Development. 2008. Web.
Needlman, R. Strength and Coordination: Motor Development 2004. Web.