Why Motor Skills Matter

by

Rae Pica

The speaker tells the group of early childhood professionals that, just as reading and other skills must be taught in early childhood, so too must motor skills be taught. Nobody comments, but the speaker imagines she can hear their thoughts: “I’ve already got so much to do! Now I have to worry about motor skills, too?” “They’re just motor skills. It’s not as though we’re talking about something important, like language skills.” “But I don’t know anything about motor skills; movement wasn’t part of my pre-service training.”

Those of us who work to make movement a bigger part of children’s lives and education have heard similar comments – out loud – for years. They’re valid concerns, especially considering our society’s belief in the separation of mind and body and the equally powerful belief that the functions of the mind are superior to those of the body.

I don’t know why the idea of mind and body as separate entities took hold or why it’s lasted as long as it has. But, more and more, we have evidence that this is a false notion. And while I’m delighted with all the research pointing to the body’s role in cognitive development and learning, as a children’s physical activity specialist, I feel quite strongly that the body matters, too – that physical development and physical fitness deserve equal respect and attention!

Most people, it seems, believe children automatically acquire motor skills as their bodies develop – that it’s a natural, “magical” process that occurs along with maturation. Unfortunately, this is an easy assumption to make. After all, one day the infant rolls over by herself, eventually starts to crawl, and then suddenly rises up onto hands and knees and begins creeping. Somewhere around her first birthday, with only a little assistance and a lot of enthusiastic encouragement from adults, she takes her first steps. And then it seems, almost before you know it, she’s off and running!

So it certainly appears that motor skills miraculously occur and take care of themselves. To a certain extent, it’s true. However, maturation takes care of only part of the process – the part that allows a child to execute most movement skills at an immature level.

What does an immature level mean? Consider the phrase “She throws like a girl” and the more insulting phrase “He throws like a girl.” Regardless of which gender the words are directed at, they refer to a child who hasn’t achieved a mature performance level for the skill of throwing. Something about the child’s form or technique isn’t quite right. And it can even happen with such basic motor skills as walking and running. (If you’ve ever observed a child who hasn’t quite mastered the ability to move his limbs in perfect opposition, or whose feet roll in, baby toes lifting off the ground, you know this is true.)

The fact is, thanks to the mistaken notion that children don’t need help in this area, many children never achieve mature patterns for many gross (large-muscle) motor skills. But, again, why should we care?

We should care because, first and foremost, the ability to perform gross motor skills is related directly to physical fitness. And, considering the health hazards for the unfit (obesity, heart disease, and many others), this is one area where movement matters even more than language. A competent mover will gladly keep moving. A child who feels physically awkward and uncoordinated is going to avoid movement at all costs (just as a person who feels inept at public speaking will avoid a podium at all costs).

Such a child isn’t likely to take part in an after-school game of tag, or to play jump rope or climb the monkey bars during recess. And it’s doubtful that her parents would consider taking her to the playground, on a hike, or roller skating on the weekend. There’s no mystery as to why the research shows children lacking in movement fundamentals are more sedentary than peers of the same age who are skilled movers. And since poor movement habits tend to track from childhood to adulthood, a physically inactive child is unlikely to grow up as a lifelong mover.

In this realm, the most important thing you can do is to give children the time, space, and opportunity to move. Beyond that, it’s critical to observe closely. Based on what you know about motor skills, are you seeing anything that requires attention? For example, does a child land from a jump with the heels coming all the way down and knees bent? If not, you’ll want to work with him to correct those errors.

Fortunately, serious motor control problems are fairly rare. Still, motor skill delays, unlike language delays, can be difficult to detect and will not simply disappear on their own. If a child is a bit awkward and uncoordinated in her movements, it could be due to slight motor delays, or she may just be clumsy. Clumsiness, like other traits, can be inherited. Similarly, what you assume to be a problem may be due to lack of maturity rather than poor motor coordination. Preschoolers have yet to adequately acquire a number of movement skills, so if a preschooler regularly drops a ball when you toss it to her, you shouldn’t rush to the conclusion that she’s experiencing delays.

If you suspect a child has a problem with certain skills, the first thing you should do is ensure he gets more practice. For instance, if he’s having trouble with alternating movements, like climbing or descending stairs, play games with repetitive movement patterns, like hopscotch. If a problem seems permanent, speak with the child’s parents about consulting a pediatrician, occupational therapist, or physical therapist for an evaluation.

Rae Pica is an education consultant specializing in children’s physical activity and the author of numerous books for educators and parents. Listen to her interviews with experts in the fields of education, child development, play research, the neurosciences, and more on the Educators Channel at http://www.bamradionetwork.com!