How to develop motor skills in a child and an adult? Let’s look at useful practices and exercises

A motor skill can be defined as any movement you make. Whether it is jogging, cleaning or typing on the keyboard. Most often people do not even think about how an action is performed, but its success depends on the accuracy and coordination of each, even the smallest movement. That is why motor skills need to be developed.

art therapist, child psychologist

Regular and varied activities will help children and adults to develop and improve their motor skills.

Why develop motor skills?

Let’s talk more specifically about the benefits of developing this skill. The most noticeable and practical effect of practicing is the ability to cope more easily with everyday tasks, especially those that require precision. Your concentration level will become higher over time, and you’ll be less distracted.

As you exercise, you will strengthen your muscles and joints, which will reduce the risk of injury and pain. Your overall body condition will also improve, as will your coordination of movements and body flexibility.

Types of motor skills

Before you start training, you need to understand what kind of motor skills there are. The first type includes those movements that require the participation of the entire body, large muscle groups, usually associated with moving the body in space. Such motor skills are called “large”.

The second type is called “fine motor skills”. It is not difficult to guess that it is associated with more precise movements, the amplitude of which may seem insignificant. In this case, we are talking about the movements of small muscles of the hands and their interaction with vision.

How to train large motor skills?

Games on balancing boards or pillows. In this case, coordination and balance are trained. It is necessary to walk on an unstable surface, you can make movements in a straight line or change direction.

Exercises on a jump rope. Simultaneously develop endurance and coordination. Jumping rope, gradually complicating the task. For example, you can start doing jumps from side to side or try to perform a jump with a double turn of the rope. If it is still difficult to do such exercises, stretch the rope on the floor and jump over it on one foot or two.

Games with a ball. Here you need a space free of fragile objects, and a target, as it can be used stickers on the wall or baskets. The main task is to hit, and from different distances and angles. You can also play sports such as soccer, basketball, bowling or volleyball.

Dancing. A creative and at the same time athletic activity, it helps improve coordination and has a beneficial effect on the whole body. Enroll in a studio or learn new directions with the help of videos.

Workouts. From yoga and stretching to strength training and interval training, they all work your muscles and improve your body’s performance. You just need to find something that works for you.

An obstacle course. This can be anything, perhaps you need to go around a cone or crawl under an arch. A useful and fun activity, building such a “track” will be as rewarding as running it.

Riding a bicycle or scooter. It trains muscles, coordination and the ability to keep balance. Such training will also be a great adventure.

Running. A perfect way to make your body stronger and more enduring, develop coordination and precision. Especially if you add obstacles or different tasks to the workout.

How to train fine motor skills?

A game using tweezers. You will need a lot of small objects, it is good if they will be different. Buttons, beads or even cereal – anything will do. You can use tongs or tweezers to move them from one container to another, categorize them, or even put them into different shapes.

Playing with sand, clay or dough. Formation of structures, figures and shapes from these materials not only develop tactile perception and fine motor skills, but also very soothing and relaxing. Starting with simple pyramids, you can reach large castles. And if you go to a pottery workshop, you can also get handmade dishes as a gift for the exercises.

Jigsaw puzzles and construction. Folding and disassembling small pieces helps to work on accuracy and coordination of movements. Start with larger and therefore easier tasks, and then move on to more complex and smaller ones. Castles, helicopters, cars and paintings – all this can be created with your own hands, this activity will fascinate not only the child, but also the adult.

Origami. From simple airplanes and ships to create complex paper sculptures with many details. Some are so immersed in this activity that they make copies of landmarks of different countries.

Drawing. When studying with a child, you can start with the repetition of simple shapes, lines or connecting dots, then move on to coloring details. And if you think that this is only a child’s activity, you just have not seen coloring books for adults with very fine details. By the way, it is not necessary to use only pencils, you can draw and paints.

Sewing, embroidery and knitting. Create your own clothes or pictures from threads – a good hobby that will help to work out coordination, accuracy of movements and mobility of fingers. Children, of course, should start the exercises by buttoning buttons, lacing sneakers, unraveling or weaving threads before using a needle and needles.

Mosaics. Such games are often bought for a child, with their help he learns to interact with small objects, develops fine motor skills. For adults, too, there is something similar – diamond embroidery. With the help of small rhinestones and beads, you can create entire paintings.

It is very important to take the time to focus on motor skills at an early age to help the full development of the child. Remember that it is easiest to enthuse children, showing them an example. And all of the above methods are suitable for all age groups, allowing the whole family to get involved.