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Gross Motor Skills
Gross Motor Skills
Gross motor skills are the ability to use large muscle groups to perform movements such as walking, running, jumping, and balancing.
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In this module, we discuss early development of gross motor skills!
The videos offer an introduction to support your child as they begin this lifelong journey, helping to build a strong foundation for future gross motor skill development.
Types of Gross Motor Skills
Types of Gross Motor Skills
Holding up their head
Rolling
Sitting
Crawling
Standing
Walking
Importance of Gross Motor Skills:
Importance of Gross Motor Skills:
Balance
Coordination
Body and spatial awareness
Reaction time
10 Ways to Support Gross Motor Development
10 Ways to Support Gross Motor Development
Provide daily tummy time
Let your baby play on the floor often
Place toys just out of reach
Play on the floor together
Encourage barefoot time indoors
Encourage crawling, climbing, and walking in safe spaces
Offer simple push/pull toys or sturdy furniture
Spend time outside where your child has more room to move and explore
Provide a mirror during play and movement to increase child's curiosity
Play movement games like rolling a ball or simple obstacle courses
Ages & Stages
Ages & Stages
Tummy Time!
Tummy Time!
Importance of Tummy Time:
Importance of Tummy Time:
Helps prevent flat head
Strengthens neck muscles
Promotes a strong core
Prevents gross motor skill delays
Helps meet sensory and feeding needs
Tummy time Green flags
0-3 Months: Lifts head briefly, turns head actively, shows interest in toys and faces in front of them
4-6 Months: Pushes up on forearms
6-9 months: Moves arms and legs actively, rolls
Tummy Time Red Flags
Cannot lift or turn the head at all
Stiff or floppy muscle tone
Rarely moves arms or legs
Favors one side consistently
Seems very uncomfortable during tummy time
Observe your baby during tummy time, they should be able to lift and turn their head, an important part of gross motor development.
Babies that rarely lift heir head, or have floppy or stiff movements should be monitored.
Copy of Tummy-Time-tip-sheet.pdfHow To Encourage Crawling
How To Encourage Crawling
Use tummy time often
Place toys out of reach so they need to cross midline
Do baby push-ups
Teach baby to rock on hands and knees
Encourage crawling to their favorite toy
Ways YOU Can Help Your Baby Move!
Ways YOU Can Help Your Baby Move!
2 Months
Encourage tummy time with mirror use
Tummy time with face to face interaction, talking and or singing
Chest to chest time to increase bonding and neck strength
Movement with music, like gentle sway or rocking with baby
4 Months
Gently guiding baby from back, side and then tummy to encourage rolling
Place toys at middle of baby and then on each side of them to encourage reach
Supported standing and bouncing to activate muscles in hips, thighs, and core
Start baby at their side and then let them complete the roll
6 Months
Tummy time obstacle course, roll up blankets and towels and have them climb over
Gently roll a soft ball or toy across their field of vision and have them eye track it
Create a texture exploration path, lay out different textures (blanket, mat, soft rug), have them roll or pivot across them
Practice sitting balance with bubbles to encourage more reaching and core strength
9 Months
Create a cruising trail of toys placed on safe furniture for baby to cruise along, encouraging cruising, pulling up and standing
Flip empty laundry bin over and have baby push it while standing
Tunnel crawling activity, encourage crawling through tunnel, reaching you @ other side, can be made with pillows and blankets or use a play tunnel
Safety proof space, mobility is quick at this age!!
12 Months
Encourage more push and pull toys being used
Bubble pop and squat game, blow bubbles low to the ground, encourage baby to squat to get them, while safely being monitored by someone else
Cruise and collect game, have your child pick up toys with a basket
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