Motor development of a child up to the age of 3

What is and how is the motor development of a child - from infant to 3-year-old? Why is it important, not only in the context of physical fitness, but also of the psyche and the emotional and social sphere? What to do to support the psychophysical development of a child in the infancy and toddler period? What types of games, improving motor skills, can be offered to a toddler in the first years of life? What do you need to pay attention to in order to consult a specialist in time? Take advantage of the advice and guidance of a physiotherapist working with children.

The first three years of a child's life, i.e. the period of newborns, infants and early childhood, are the times when a toddler develops at a dizzying pace. Movement skills acquired during this period are the basis for further functioning and are of great importance in the following years of life. As a parent, you can observe changes and newly acquired skills in your child almost overnight - especially those related to psychophysical development. We must remember that a child's motor development is inextricably linked with psychosocial development. In order for the development to proceed properly in both of these fields, the toddler in the first three years of life should be provided with a sense of security, closeness and parental love.

What is motor development?

It can be said that the development of a child from 0 to 3 years old is a real rollercoaster - the time of the most intense changes in both body posture, movement skills, and development in the social and emotional sphere.

Motor development is nothing more than a baby's motor development - improving general fitness, coordination of body movements and gaining more and more control over them. We are all born "equipped" with certain reflexes, which - as the nervous system matures and time passes - gradually integrate and are replaced by voluntary, deliberate movements. We observe most of the reflexes in a child up to about 6 months of age. In the following months, the toddler develops newer and newer motor skills.

The post-baby period, i.e. the time after the first year of life, is primarily the dynamic development of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, a change in the child's body posture and further shaping of previously acquired motor skills. Between the ages of 1 and 2, the toddler is improving in the area of ​​fine and gross motor skills, as well as gaining new experiences in contact with the environment.

The importance of motor development 

Why is motor development so important? Contrary to appearances, it is not only about health, fitness and coordination. Motor development is important for:

• independence and self-reliance - the more agile a child and the more he can, the more self-confident and less dependent on others he becomes;
• emotions - physical activity allows you to relieve tension, frustration and anxiety, free yourself from strong emotions, thanks to which his mental resistance increases;
• fun and socialization - the ability and control of movements allows the child to participate in activities that give him pleasure and joy, as well as play with other children.

Motor skills are the general physical fitness of a person and his ability to perform any activities related to movement. There are two types of motor skills:

Fine motor skills

That is manual dexterity related to the movements of fingers and hands (grasping, drawing, molding from plasticine, fastening buttons, etc.),

Big motor skills

That is, general physical fitness, activities related to the movement of the whole body (all-quadruple, walking, jumping, climbing stairs, etc.).

It is important to develop both of these areas for the proper development of a child.

How to support your baby's development?

The child's motor development begins in the womb, when the toddler moves, kicks, and makes head and hands movements.

Here's what you can do:

• Give me time - do not force the child to perform a given skill for which he is not ready. The toddler must be ready to perform certain activities (e.g. adequate muscle strength), then the quality of achieved efficiency will be better;
• Let and watch - many things (such as independent cycling, climbing on the playground) will seem dangerous to you and you will at all costs want to protect the toddler from an accident. However, try not to limit him with your fear - allow him to try and experience. Similarly, in the case of self-service activities - such as eating, dressing, washing - you need to let your toddler do them at the right moment, making sure they are ready to help when they need it;
• Be a role model - the child learns the fastest by observing his parents, so show him how to perform a given activity, guide his actions, so that he imitates you and develops correct habits;
• Motivate - encourage movement and exercise of the given ability, praise the toddler for the effort and make sure that the activity is pleasant - then the child will be more likely to repeat it.

Time for fun!

It's best to improve and shape your child's motor skills while playing - combining entertainment with learning is a perfect solution - and also during everyday household chores. Activities such as swimming, cycling, ball games, dancing or playground fun will also be invaluable, during which the whole body works and improves movement. It is also worth offering the child manual activities, such as drawing, molding from plasticine, arranging blocks that will support the development of fine motor skills, relax and give a lot of fun.

How to support the motor development of a newborn and infant?

Use the following tips to support your child's motor development in the newborns and infants (0-12 months):

Encourage fun on the educational mat

Lying on a medium-hard surface, the toddler feels his body better, shapes the body schema, learns to work against the force of gravity, to learn locomotion in the following months of his life - turning, crawling, crawling, standing up, as well as static positions - high support, various variants of sitting etc. The toddler can be placed on the mat from the first days of life, and in the following months it will be an ideal place for physical activities.

Avoid gadgets type rocker, walker, pusher, jumper.

Take it slow

Wait until the child is ready to perform the activity, do not rush and suggest activities that he has not yet mastered, e.g. do not sit down, if the child cannot do it on his own, do not lead the child by the hands if he is not already walking.

Provide appropriate conditions

Let the child develop motor skills in various environments, give the opportunity to experience crawling on grass, sand, crawling on a slippery floor, rough carpet, climbing a low chest of drawers and a high chair. Watch over the toddler's safety. Make sure that the child's clothes do not restrict his movements in any way.

Show gestures

Show gestures like "bye", "bravo" in a situational context. Show objects with your finger, name them (for children over 8 months old).

Let you eat on your own

Do not prevent your child from trying to eat using your hands. Then the toddler learns the consistency, temperature and texture of the proposed food, and by directing the pieces of food to the mouth, he shapes the grip and eye-hand coordination (for children who have started to expand the diet).

Fine motor skills development: games for 1-, 2- and 3-year-old

Here are a few suggestions for games supporting the development of fine motor skills in children aged 1-3 years:

• kneading the dough;
• tearing paper, kneading paper balls;
• stringing beads;
• fun with blocks - stacking the tower and more complex structures, sorting.

Gross motor skills development: games for 1-, 2- and 3-year-old

The proposed games supporting the development of gross motor skills in children aged 1-3 years are:

• imitating animals - e.g. how a frog jumps, how a stork walks, how a cat creeps, how a snake crawls;
• balloon fun - throw, bounce, roll, pass, lift to the ceiling, lower to the floor;
• games in front of the mirror - name parts of the body, point to them, check how fast arms and legs can move;
• search for hidden objects according to the clues - e.g. two steps back, turn, turn right, look up.

What is the child's motor development in the years 0-3?

Motor development in the first year of life:

• 3 month - the baby keeps its head in the midline while lying on its back, while lying on its tummy, it holds its head steadily in the support. Connects the handles in the center line.
• 4-5 month - grabs the workpiece, turns to the sides
• 5 months - lying on the stomach, rests on open palms and straightened elbows
• 6th month - turns from back to stomach over both sides
• 8-10 months - sits unsupported
• 9 months - stands leaning on
• 9-10 months - a pincer grip (thumb and forefinger) appears; the beginning of all fours, getting up next to the furniture)
• 8-18 months - the child takes steps on their own.

Remember that the given months are indicative dates. Your child develops at an individual pace, which means that some skills may be acquired earlier or slightly later than other children. If anything worries you, consult your pediatrician.

Motor skills in the second year of life:

• the child walks, runs and jumps up on his own;
• perfect tweezers grip;
• uses a spoon / fork (awkward yet);
• climbs the stairs with an extended step;
• rolls the ball, tries to kick and throw it;
• inserts and takes items out of the container;
• drinks from an open cup or from the so-called spout;
• builds a tower from blocks;
• tries to dress and take off selected items of clothing.

Achievements in motor skills in the third year of life:

• the child walks and runs efficiently;
• performs simple art work;
• tries to use scissors;
• models from plasticine / dough;
• independently performs simple hygienic activities;
• stands on one leg;
• eat more efficiently with a spoon and fork without any help;
• goes up the stairs, putting the legs alternately;
• can pedal on a three-wheeled bicycle;
• puts on his shoes on his own and tries to dress / undress.

What should be worrying about the child's motor development?

Disturbing signals in an infant (0-12 months) include:

• constantly clenched fists;
• frequent bending, stretching;
• the inability to hold the head after 3 months of age;
• constant preference for one side of the body, looking in one direction, reaching for the toy only with one hand, flattening the head on one side;
• no rotation from back to stomach after 6 months of age;
• Sit down late, sit down with a rounded back.

Disturbing signals in 1-, 2- and 3-year-olds are:

• lack of ability to walk independently from the age of 18 months;
• inability to climb stairs with extended steps, without parental help (17-20 months of age);
• no attempts to climb on furniture (over 18 months of age);
• lack of interest in the environment;
• sitting down in one preferred way only;
• frequent, notorious falls and stumbling (in the third year of life).

Carefully observe your child both at rest and in motion to spot any irregularities in time and consult them with a specialist who will recommend the appropriate action.