Gross Motor Skills for Young Children

*sponsored guest post from ABC Pediatric Therapy* sharing information about gross motor skills for young children

Movement plays a crucial role in a child’s development. And while every child learns movements at an individual rate, developmental delays may cause concern and hardship.

Gross Motor Skills are the large movement skills our body develops throughout our growing years. These include rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, jumping, riding bikes, and climbing. Proper development of gross motor skills requires strength, balance, postural control, and coordination. It also requires appropriate function of our joints and muscles.

Gross Motor Skills for Young Children Include:

·        Holding up the head

·        Rolling

·        Crawling

·        Sitting

·        Standing

·        Walking

·        Jumping

·        Bouncing a ball

·        Riding a bike

Development during your child’s first year is critical in future success. And while every child learns movements at an individual rate, developmental delays may cause concern and hardship. Use our guide below to see what milestones your child should be reaching at every stage during the first year. Milestones listed at each stage carry on through each subsequent phase of development (i.e. skills at 6 months should be present at 7 months).

Each milestone that is achieved throughout the first years of life is dependent on the one that came before it. To get into the sitting position, we must first learn to roll. We need to learn how to stand before we learn how to walk. We need to walk before we run and jump. The body goes through a complicated movement process. If a child is not achieving a milestone within a reasonable time frame, it is important to ask questions and seek out guidance right away because the next set of skills is coming up fast. The longer you wait, the further behind the child will fall. The earlier an intervention is provided, the more effective it can be.

For a complete list of milestones by age, please visit: 

Your Child’s First Year – ABC Pediatric Therapy