Gross Motor Skills

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Human beings develop two types of motor skills. The first, gross motor skills are developed in infancy and early childhood, so that by the time a child is two, they can stand, walk and run. Gross motor skills are developed from head to toe, meaning that an infant will be able to first lift their head, followed by trunk stability before learning to stand and walk. Development goes as follows:

1. Lifting head in infancy
2. Trunk movement
3. Standing
4. Walking
5. Running
6. Skipping
7. Adolescent play such as bicycle riding, jump rope etc...

Gross Motor Skills Development

Gross motor skills development requires the ability to control one's posture. After a few weeks, an infant can hold up its head, allowing for the development of independent sitting by 6 months. Standing also develops in stages, as an infant can pull him or herself up and hold on to an object by 8 months, but may not walk independently until about a year. Strength and balance in the legs are prerequisite to walking.

It is during the second year of life that many gross motor skills are refined in children, as walking become easier and is then accompanied by the ability to carry objects, such as toys. However, it is precisely because of this increased mobility that parents and caregivers must pay extra attention to toddlers so that they are not injured.

Gross Motor Skills and Adolescence

Gross motor skills continue to become refined through adolescence, as skills such as running, jumping, kicking and riding a bicycle become possible. Humans peak physically around the age of 30, after which most physical functions begin to decline.