What are Gross Motor Skills?

Gross motor skills involve the large muscles in the body and help us do all of the activities we need and want to do throughout our day. For children, gross motor skills include school-type actions such as walking, running, hopping, skipping, sitting upright at the table or on the carpet for story time, and throwing, catching or kicking a ball! They also support our self-care skills, like dressing, climbing into and out of bed, getting onto and off of the toilet, reaching to grab an essential item off of the counter or shelf, or climbing the stairs.

In Kindergarten, your child will spend time engaging in structured and unstructured outdoor activities at different times throughout the school day. With strong gross motor skills, children are able to participate in, and perform, their everyday functions with greater ease and independence! Encouraging a child's participation in activities that boost their confidence with their gross motor abilities is just one way parents can begin to set their child up for future successes within both the classroom and home environments!