Gross Motor Skills

Gross motor skills are the large movement patterns involving the whole body such as walking, running, jumping, and hopping. These skills develop from birth, such as rolling and crawling. These skills become more complex as a child grows, including activities such as bike riding, swimming, and participation in sports. Adequate gross motor skills are important for development of fine motor skills. Difficulties with gross motor skills might include poor balance, difficulty with hand-eye coordination, and poor coordination.

Gross motor skills include components such as:

Muscle Tone: When muscle tone is low, muscles are more relaxed and a child may appear "floppy". Difficulties in this area may result in significant effort to intimate and sustain movement, difficulty with control and coordination of movement, fatiguing easily, leaning over tables/desks, and 'slouching' when sitting.

Balance: A child with balance deficits may demonstrate poor balance, 'tripping' often or appearing 'clumsy,' poor posture, and difficulty 'saving' self from a fall. They may have difficulty sitting still, riding a bike, and participating in sports.

Proprioception: Proprioception is the sense that lets us know where our different body parts are, how they move and how much strength our muscles need to use. We receive proprioceptive input from our sensory receptors located in our skin, muscles and joints. A child with difficulty in this area may demonstrate reduced awareness of their body, reduced spatial awareness, difficulty judging force (such as when throwing or kicking a ball), and general deficits in gross and fine motor skills.

Joint Instability: Joints are surrounded by tissues, such as muscles, ligaments, and bones. These connective tissues hold the joint's bones in the proper place, but if they are weak or loose, joint instability occurs. As a result, joints can extend easily beyond the normal range of motion. If your child has joint instability, the excess movement can affect their fluency of movement and coordination, making them appear 'awkward.' A child with joint instability may also demonstrate poor body awareness, become easily tired, and complain of pain in or around their joints.

Motor Planning: Motor planning is the ability to conceive, plan, and carry out a skilled, non-habitual motor act in the correct sequence from beginning to end. Incoming sensory stimuli must be correctly integrated in order to form the basis for appropriate, coordinated motor responses. This includes forming the idea to organize movement, knowing what to do, organizing a correct sequence of movements involved in a task and carrying out the planned movements smoothly and fluently.

Bilateral Integration: Bilateral integration refers to a child's ability to coordinate both sides of their body together. This ability, and the ability to cross the body midline, indicates that both sides of the brain are working well together and share information efficiently.

For example, a child's dominant hand or leg leads the activity and the other supports. Bilateral integration is important for effective participation in functional everyday tasks such as dressing, using dining utensils, buttons, and handwriting.

Gross motor skills form the foundation for a child's physical abilities, influencing their ability to navigate their environment, participate in sports and recreational activities, and engage in daily routines. Our occupational therapy services prioritize the improvement of gross motor skills, recognizing their essential role in a child's overall well-being.

Our therapists guide children through exercises that enhance balance and coordination. Whether it's walking on balance beams, navigating through tunnels, or participating in activities that challenge spatial awareness, our interventions contribute to improved motor planning and execution.

For children interested in sports or physical activities, our occupational therapy services may include targeted interventions to enhance sports-related skills. From throwing and catching to kicking and jumping, we tailor exercises to build the specific motor skills required for successful participation in your child’s favorite sport! These interventions not only promote physical proficiency but also foster a love for an active and healthy lifestyle.

Our approach to gross motor skills development is tailored to meet the unique needs of each child. Through a combination of assessment, collaboration with parents and caregivers, and ongoing progress monitoring, our therapists identify specific areas for improvement and craft interventions aligned with a child's individual gross motor development goals.

Central to our approach is the incorporation of playful and purposeful activities into therapeutic interventions. Recognizing that children learn best through play, our therapists design activities that engage and captivate children's interest while promoting the development of coordination, balance, and overall motor proficiency. From obstacle courses to interactive games, these activities create an environment where learning and physical development naturally unite.

Children with unique challenges benefit from adaptive techniques tailored to their individual needs. Our therapists explore and implement adaptive strategies to support children in overcoming obstacles, fostering confidence and independence in gross motor activities. Whether addressing mobility challenges or sensory sensitivities, our interventions are designed to be inclusive and accommodating.

Regular communication with parents and caregivers ensures active engagement in your child's social development and increased generalization of skills outside of the therapy room.

Ongoing progress monitoring and open communication with parents, caregivers, teachers, and other professionals within a child's care team is a cornerstone of our services.

Our therapists are happy to provide insights, strategies, and practical tips for extending skill development into various aspects of a child's daily life. This collaborative approach ensures that interventions are aligned with the child's experiences across all environments, facilitating a cohesive and supportive approach to skill development.