Discuss motor development in childhood.

Motor Development: Motor development is the process of the development of a child’s bones, muscles and ability to move and manipulate in his or her surroundings. Motor development can be divided into two categories i.e. gross muscular coordination and fine muscular coordination.

Gross Motor Coordination includes the development of the large muscles in the child’s body. These muscles allow us to sit, stand, walk and run, among other activities.

Fine Motor Coordination involves the small muscles of the body, especially in the hand such as writing, dressing up, drawing etc.

Motor development also involves how well children’s muscles work. This is referred to as muscle tone. Children need a balanced muscle tone in to be able to develop their muscles and use them with ease while standing, sitting, rolling, walking, running, swimming and all other other postures and actions.

Motor development also includes the child’s vestibular and proprioceptive systems. Both of these are part of the child’s sensory system.

The vestibular system is located in the inner ear and allows the body to maintain balance.

The proprioceptive system involves the inner ear, the muscles, joints and tendons. It allows the body to understand where is the location. Maintaining balance and posture and having coordinated movements are only possible if the proprioceptive system is functioning well.

Activities and Skills Between 6-11 years

During middle childhood, children may have a number of other pre-pubertal changes. Child will become stronger as his muscle mass increases. His motor skills-in both strength and coordination-will improve, too.

At 5 years old, a typical youngster can skip, walk on her tiptoes and broad-jump. He is capable of tying her own shoes, cutting and pasting, and drawing a person with a head, body, arms and legs.

By age 6, a child can bounce a ball four to six times, skate, ride a bicycle, can do skipping, and dress himself completely without help.

A 7 years old may not be able to catch a flying ball but a 10 year-old can. A nine-year-old can build a model or learn to sew while six-year-olds are still not able to do so.

Disorders in Physical Development During 6-11 Years of Age: There can be physical disorders due to illnesses. One such disorder is ADD Attention Deficit Disorder because of which the child either becomes very hyperactive or hypoactive.

Hyperactive: Children who are hyperactive are easily distractible and they cannot focus their attention. They would fidget with their hands or feet or squirm in their seat. They would leave their seat in the classroom very often.

They would run about or climb excessively in inappropriate situations. These children have difficulty playing or taking part in leisure activities quietly. They move around as if they are driven by a motor! They talk too much without a break.

Hypoactive: Hypoactive children generally show less than normal activity. They have very less energy and weak muscles. Sometimes, this low activity level may be related to psychological factors than physical factors. It needs to be properly diagnosed. Parents should pay attention towards their wards regularly. These kinds of problems generally go unnoticed and creates problems later.

Execution of motor skills: There are individual differences in execution of motor skills among children. They are able to perform complex motor tasks. They learn new gross motor skills and fine motor skills. They are constantly running and never get tired of it. They can be seen riding bicycles, scooters and tricycles very fondly. They love to play games that involve running. They hop, jump, cross and run. Team sports such as basketball, volleyball, dancing are also a part of middle childhood games.

Improvement in Control and coordination of Fine Motor Skills

Motor Skills and Cognitive Development: Children are able to explore their environment better if they are able to move easily or change positions.

 They are also more likely to draw and write if they have good control of their finger muscles.

Motor Skills and the Development of Self-Help Skills: Motor control strength enables children learn how to finger-feed and later use utensils such as forks, spoons to dress and undress, brush teeth and wash hands and face, and to learn to use the bathroom.

Motor Skills and Communication Development: With gain of control over the oral/motor area, a child learns to pronounce letters and sounds correctly. This is articulation.

Motor Skills and Social and Emotional Development: Motor skills enable the children to develop socially. They acquire skills that are needed for sitting properly, for speaking, for eating and drinking.

Participation: At school level, children learn a lot of activities. They learn by participation. They take part in scouts and tournaments. They learn to share interests. They develop friendship. They make strategies to play better.

In this way, their motor skills develop by participating in school activities as well as neigbourhood activities.

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