Gross Motor Skills : Development Activities

The term 'busy bees' is particularly appropriate when describing young children. Children from ages 2-5 are on the go much of the time. Their interest in exploring and learning new things is exciting to watch. However, reports about the skill and activity levels of older children are very disturbing and, as educators, demand our attention. The classroom teacher needs to instruct and monitor the child's motor skills. This book has been designed to help the classroom teacher with this prospect. The entire purpose of this book is to provide practical and easy ways teachers can help pupils develop gross motor skills while increasing their activity level. Provided in the introductory pages of Gross motor skills is background information on motor planning, body awareness, bilateral integration and tactile awareness. An understanding of the basics of each of these areas will help teachers in monitoring and instructing pupils in motor skills. Included is information on each topic, characteristics of children having difficulty within each area, and suggestions for helping these pupils. Included at the end of the introduction are developmental checklists of gross motor skills of children from ages 3-5. Following the introductory pages, the book is divided into seven major sections. 'Spatial and body awareness' contains activities that help each pupil understand his or her own body's potential for movement. Through action songs and poems, as well as creative movement activities such as using streamers, the pupil will develop a better understanding of his or her own personal space and the space around him or her. Activities devoted to walking, running, jumping, and more are included in the section, 'Locomotor skills'. Developing these skills is crucial to helping pupils gain further success in any other movement experience. The 'Ball skills' section provides ideas for learning to throw, catch and play with balls.