You may think before a child attends school for the first time that it is important that they learn things such as their ABC’s and Numbers. However, the most important aspect of preparing a child for their education is the development of motor skills. You can see an excellent article on the different developmental stages of children and their motor skills on the Internet which you can refer to. If you are not sure what motor skills are, then read on, and these things will be explained, as well as how you can give your child the boost that they need.
Gross Motor Skills
We would typically use our gross motor skills in physical activities such as gym class or when outside playing on the playground with friends. These large sets of muscles are employed in a wide variety of different activities such as;
⦁ Running
⦁ Jumping
⦁ Swimming
⦁ Dancing
⦁ Climbing
⦁ Throwing
As well as giving children exercise, these types of activities help the children to master their gross motor skills and growing stronger in the process. You will want to make sure that when choosing a nursery for your child that they also offer plenty of physical exercise on a daily basis. Using the internet, you can quickly search for day care by Guardian Australia, or other such establishments, and find a quality nursery that will nurture and develop your child.
Ensure that the school has plenty of space outside for the kids to run and play, as well as climbing frames and other outdoor activities. When they regularly use those big muscle groups, they will quickly become not only faster but also more agile, meaning you may have to get your running shoes on to catch them from now on!
The Development Of Fine Motor Skills
The fine motor skills give your child the dexterity to be able to do the smaller, more complex tasks that we all take for granted. These tasks can be tying their shoelaces, brushing their teeth, zipping up their jacket, or writing with a pencil. Using the correct type of toys you cannot only let them have fun but also exercise their fine motor skills and help to increase their manual dexterity. There are a lot of different types of blocks which are excellent for children such as Lego, as well as other types of interlocking building blocks and kits. As well as toys teaching arts and crafts is also another excellent way to help your child develop their skills and you can use anything from modelling clay, crayons, craft paper and scissors, or even colouring books and pens.
As well as making sure that your child receives enough physical exercise when they attend nursery, you also need to ensure that they are stimulated mentally and helped to develop. Do not rush into a decision when choosing where to send your child and make sure that you look at the curriculum and what is on offer. Look at the playground at recess and watch the children playing, you will soon get an idea of what the kids think of it there!
