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Gross Motor Skills are involved in big movement and coordination of the arms, legs, and other large body parts. They help us participate in actions such as crawling, walking, running, jumping and playing sports as well as being able to maintain a position such as sitting on the floor or chair, kneeling, and transitioning from one position the another. Gross motor skills are important to enable children to perform every day functions at school such as maneuvering around their educational environment and participating in their PE classes and at recess. Gross motor skills that are needed in the school environment include: ball skills, jumping skills, balance skills, and transitional movements like skipping, hopping, galloping, and jumping jacks, as well as get up/down to/from, sit in classroom chairs and on the floor, and move their body from one place to another. Students also need physical fitness skills such as: sit-ups, push-ups, bridges and endurance exercises.
Gross Motor Skills are involved in big movement and coordination of the arms, legs, and other large body parts. They help us participate in actions such as crawling, walking, running, jumping and playing sports as well as being able to maintain a position such as sitting on the floor or chair, kneeling, and transitioning from one position the another. Gross motor skills are important to enable children to perform every day functions at school such as maneuvering around their educational environment and participating in their PE classes and at recess. Gross motor skills that are needed in the school environment include: ball skills, jumping skills, balance skills, and transitional movements like skipping, hopping, galloping, and jumping jacks, as well as get up/down to/from, sit in classroom chairs and on the floor, and move their body from one place to another. Students also need physical fitness skills such as: sit-ups, push-ups, bridges and endurance exercises.
FIVE TIPS TO IMPROVE GROSS MOTOR and postural SKILLS
FIVE TIPS TO IMPROVE GROSS MOTOR and postural SKILLS
1. Give me a break!!
1. Give me a break!!
Students need frequent movement breaks during the day. It helps them focus on the lesson and retain the information, come back after breaks more engaged and gain control over some behavior issues through regulating some of their energy. By reducing a lesson 5-10 minutes for a movement break, children can be more focused for the next lesson. Examples are:
- Movement apps
- Movement CD's
- Basic exercises: jumping jacks, standing stretches, running in place, etc.
- Brain breaks: standing--raise right knee and touch with left hand--then reverse,
- Yoga poses for children (Kids yoga deck)
- Take a walk to the drinking fountain
- "Stand for 5"--kids have to stand and work for 5 minutes
- Alternate positions for working: on their stomach, tall kneeling, sit on bouncy balls, bean bag chairs
2. Check yourself!!
2. Check yourself!!
Functional posture and body alignment can be challenging for some children especially if they are in a situation where they have to sit still and listen. Proper posture will help stabilize the body which helps with increased attention and concentration and decreases the distraction of trying to sit comfortably. On the flip side, poor posture increases the potential for back pain, headaches, and muscle fatigue. It can restrict breathing and lead to difficulty with writing and other fine motor functions. At school what can be done :
- Let the 90-90-90 rule guide you. Feet flat on the floor at a 90 degree angle, knees bent at 90 degrees, and hips at 90 degrees
- Desk/chair is too big or too small--FIX IT! One size does not fit all!! Either lower the desk or get a bigger chair
- use boxes or phone books taped together to keep feet from dangling and to reach the 90 degree angle.com
- provide seat cushions or pads (wedges, rolled towels or sit/fit discs) to help with lumbar position if seat depth is too much
Another often reported concern is when children "W" sit. This is when a child sits on their bottom with both knees bent and their legs turned out away from their body. Many children sit this way because they think it's comfortable or because it's a stable position for those who have weakness in their hips and trunk. Children will normally move in and out of this position during play and the PROBLEM occurs when they sit this way for extended periods of time. This position may:
- increase the risk of the hip and leg muscles becoming short and tight affecting their coordination, balance and development of gross motor skills
- increase the risk of hip dislocation especially if the child has hip dysplasia (often not formally diagnosed)
- make it difficult for children to rotate their trunk to reach across their body, crossing mid-line (may affect writing skills and other table top activities)
- make it difficult to shift their weight from one side of the body to the other which is important in standing balance and in developing skills such as running and jumping
- decrease the child's ability to develop strong trunk muscles (the trunk muscles do not have to work as hard to maintain an upright position since the child is relying on the wide base of support of the "W" position)
What to do at school since children may be resistant to changing position: Make it fun!!:
- ask the child to get up and get something--may help him change his position when he sits back down
- use a "code word" to remind them to not sit "W"
- provide alternate seating options: small chair (cube chair, bean bag chair), sit on a pillow, lay on stomach
- long sitting, side sitting, criss-cross (or tailor sitting)--these positions increase the child's using their back and abdominal muscles to maintain the position and increases the ability for them to shift their weight from side to side
3. Be an animal!!
3. Be an animal!!
It's important for children to have the opportunity to improve their core strength, balance and agility. Many of these big motor movements will help with sensory input and regulating the sensory systems. In addition, the following exercises are good sources of the "heavy work" that may improve student's alertness and engagement in their educational environment. To improve gross motor skills and motor coordination skills here are some exercises/activities to try:
- set up an obstacle course in the classroom or on the playground: something to 1. walk along 2. step over 3. crawl under 4. jump across etc.
Try 5-10 repetitions:
- crab walk--squat down and lean backwards to you look like a "table top"--move yourself forwards, backwards, and side to side keeping your bottom off the ground and your back straight
- bear walk--bend over and put both hands on the ground--walk forward with the right arm and leg at the same time and then switch sides
- frog jumps--start in a squatting position and put your hands on the floor between your knees--swing your feet jump forward and land with feet and hands on the floor
- donkey kicks--lean over and place your hands on the floor--jump with your legs behind you and clear the floor keeping your hands on the floor.
http://lemonlimeadventures.com/ (for more ideas!)
4. Funny Walker
4. Funny Walker
Some children "toe walk" which simply means that they walk without their heels touching the ground. This is actually developmentally normal until approximately age 3. After that it could be a habit OR it could be a sign of something more: Neurological problem (cerebral palsy), sensory issue (tactile problems), autism, or simply tight muscles. Typically if there are no other signs of developmental delay, children will most likely outgrow this pattern. What to do since every child is different:
- Check to see if they are EVER off their toes. While they are standing still are they flat footed?
- Can they walk heel to toe after demonstration and verbal cues?
- Talk to parents. Do they notice this at home? Never a bad idea for parents to check with their child's pediatrician with concerns. May require medical intervention such as: specific stretching, bracing, serial casting, Botox injections, or in extreme cases, surgical intervention.
http://theinspiredtreehouse.com/
5. Practice! practice!! practice!!!
5. Practice! practice!! practice!!!
Some children who demonstrate a delay in gross motor skills may have simply not had the opportunity to develop these skills. Giving children the chance to practice gross motor skills will help with their development. Their PE classes will certainly help as will seeing other peers on the playground, but by embedding small opportunities to do some gross motor movement in your classrooms can be invaluable as well. By making the gross movements "fun" and with whole class involvement or small groups, children can be learning along side their peers.
Examples:
- play follow the leader while transitioning in the building (walk heel to toe, walk sideways, fly like a bird flapping your arms, move in a zig zag pattern, walk with giant steps or avoid walking on cracks or lines)
- during circle or on the floor time have students bat a balloon to each other when answering questions or have students hold a bean bag on various parts on their body (elbow, head foot, shoulder, etc)
- have students walk across bubble wrap
- play Simon Says with static (still) positions standing or sitting: put your left hand on your right shoulder; right thumb to your nose; left foot on your right foot with both arms straight out to the side
Please click on the following link for a printable version of the information on this page:
Please click on the following link for a printable version of the information on this page:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15GMHlaqs91py_JB_ZfEvaYtRCPipwfI1d8RVFJsEOT0/edit?usp=sharing
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