Now that school is nearly started for the year, let’s chat about why good muscle control and development are important for your child to achieve they potential for the school year and life in general!
Your chiropractor can help you assess your child’s gross motor function development. At Clayfield Chiropractic, we are happy to chat with you about these issues. We can recommend some exercises that can help to improve muscle and body function, if appropriate.Click here to book a consultationCheyne Thompson
In the Classroom
When a child can comfortably sit still for extended periods of time, they are able to focus on what they are being taught and engage in classroom activities without becoming tired, uncomfortable or distracted.
What About the Playground?
Engaging in such playground activities is vital to our kids social development and joining in playground games builds friendships and improves their emotional well-being. We all love to see happy children!
What are Motor Skills?
The skills we learn as babies and children set us up to learn even more complex tasks as adults. As the saying goes, “you need to learn to crawl before you can walk”. Even these tasks are built on by tasks that are learned from babyhood.
Everything that we learn from the day we are born is important to master before we can learn a more difficult task. Babies start with random movements of their arms and legs. When the muscles get stronger from that and the nervous system develops from the information created from these movements, they can then learn to move their body parts by choice. From this they can learn to roll then sit up then crawl. These are all stages of Gross Motor Skills developing.
From crawling babies become toddlers by learning to stand, walk, run and climb etc. Each skill builds on the last one. These are often learnt during play so that makes playing an important part of a child’s development. They often repeat skills over and over to allow them to perfect each one before they start to learn a new skill.
Once a child learns these skills they build the strength and control of the muscles whilst improving their Fine Motor Skills as well. It is also a skill that requires strong, healthy muscle control to be able to sit still and then learn at school.
Why are Gross Motor Skills Important in Childhood?
Everything that we learn from the day we are born is important to master before we can learn a more difficult task. Babies start with random movements of their arms and legs. When the muscles get stronger from that and the nervous system develops using the information created from these movements, they can then learn to move their body parts by choice. Consequently they can learn to roll, then sit up, then crawl. These are all stages of Gross Motor Skill development.
By learning how to stand, walk, run and climb etc. crawling babies develop into toddlers. Each skill builds on the last one. These are often learnt during play, making it an important part of a child’s development. Children often repeat skills over and over to allow them to perfect each one before they start to learn a new skill.
Once a child learns these skills they start to form strength and control of their muscles whilst simultaneously improving their Fine Motor Skills. These abilities require stability built through strong, healthy muscle control. Developed effectively, they will allow your child to sit comfortably for extended periods of time and engage in school learning activities.
Author: Cheyne Thompson
Cheyne graduated from Sydney College of Chiropractic and Osteopathy in 1984. She also has postgraduate qualifications in paediatric chiropractic care. Before joining Clayfield Chiropractic Clinic in 1993, Cheyne enjoyed seven years in a Sydney based practice. Cheyne has three children and 2 grandchildren.