Gross Motor Skill Difficulties

 

• Poor motor coordination, may be clumsy or have unusual posture.

• May struggle to judge distance (visual perception) which leads to falls and inability to catch a ball etc.

• May struggle to judge their own position in space, find playground difficult to manoeuvre and spill food etc.

• May struggle learning to run, ride a bike, climb steps, kick a ball, throw a ball etc.

• May have problems with balance, coordination, muscle strength, muscle tone, control of force and pressure.

 

Activities to Develop Gross Motor Skills

 

• Jumping on space hoppers.

• Playing twister.

• Heads, shoulders, knees and toes.

• Trampoline.

• Exercise ball.

• Climbing.

• Tunnels.

• Bike or trike.

• Hopping and skipping.

• Balancing on one leg.

• Catch bubbles.

• Pushing and pulling games.

• Catching.

• Kicking.

 

Fine Motor Skill Difficulties

 

• May struggle with hand strength, grasp, manipulation and hand-eye coordination.

• May find it difficult to use pen/pencil.

• May hurt to hold pencil due to lack of strength in fingers.

• May find it difficult to manipulate buttons, zips, laces and open things.

• May have difficulty feeding themselves due to hand-eye coordination and manipulation of cutlery.

 

Activities to Develop Fine Motor Skills

 

• Play-doh.

• Finger paint.

• Beads.

• Drawing and writing.

• Colouring.

• Cutting paper.

• Lacing.

• Twist lids.

• Buttons and zippers.

• Play instruments.

• Tearing paper.

• Squeezing.