WiseTip: PM-GMO-M0818-E01B

Physical & Motor Development

Gross Motor Development

Provide close supervision as your baby learns to move and explore the home environment, especially places, such as stairways and doorways.

WHY IT MATTERS

The time spent outdoors is an essential determining factor of children’s physical activity and independent mobility.

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Schaefer, L., Plotnikoff, R. C., Majumdar, S. R., Mollard, R., Woo, M., Sadman, R., . . . Ball, G. D. (2014). Outdoor time is associated with physical activity, sedentary time, and cardiorespiratory fitness in youth. The Journal of Pediatrics, 165(3), 516–521.
Wen, L. M., Kite, J., Merom, D., & Rissel, C. (2009). Time spent playing outdoors after school and its relationship with independent mobility: A cross-sectional survey of children aged 10–12 years in Sydney, Australia. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 6(1), 15.

A cross-sectional study detected an association between equipment use and infant motor development. Findings suggest that infants who have high equipment use tend to score lower on infant motor development or that infants who have low equipment use tend to score higher on infant motor development.

Abbott, A. L., & Bartlett, D. J. (2001). Infant motor development and equipment use in the home. Child: Care, Health & Development, 27(3), 295–306. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2214.2001.00186.x

The stepping reflex looks like a primitive walking response since it has appeared in a wide range of situations.

Adolph, K. E., & Berger, S. E. (2006). Motor development. In D. Kuhn & R. Siegler (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 2. Cognition, perception, and language (6th ed., pp. 161-213). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-08775-004

When stepping is exercised regularly, babies are likely to walk several weeks earlier than if stepping is not practised.

Zelazo, N. A., Zelazo, P. R., Cohen, K. M., & Zelazo, P. D. (1993). Specificity of practice effects on elementary neuromotor patterns. Developmental Psychology, 29(4), 686.

An effective learning space provides infants with a variety of opportunities to practise their evolving motor skills repeatedly.

Isbell, C., & Isbell, R. T. (2007). On the Move: Environments that stimulate motor and cognitive development in infants. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 35(3), 30-35.