Developing motor skills

A child will continue to refine the motor skills that they’ve developed by the age of 2 throughout the preschool years. There are a series of milestones along the way that a child would be expected to achieve.

Play has an important role to play in the acquisition of these skills as the child repeatedly tries and eventually succeeds at a task. This is why there is an emphasis on play. Preschool children really enjoy playing at activities that use large movements, for example climbing, jumping and running. These activities will support the development of strong muscles, balance and coordination of movement.

Balancing requires the brain to coordinate visual cues and its own sense of where the body is, known as proprioception. The brain needs to prune synapses when it develops too many connections. The overload of signals created can mean that where the child had skills in balancing, the skills can be temporarily lost until the brain is able to work effectively again.

Fine motor movements also need to be developed and practised. Play should include activities that help develop the ability to manipulate small objects, for example; turning the pages in a book for a 2 to 3 year old or scribbling with a crayon, or for the 4 to 5 year old, maybe fastening buttons on the clothes on a doll, being able to put on and fasten shoes. Typically by 5 years old a child is usually able to dress themselves including fastening buttons and using safety scissors appropriately.