Gross Motor Skills 

Gross motor skills refer to large motor movements of the body. They involve coordination, muscle strength and muscle tone that allow a child to run, walk, dance, throw a ball as well as put on trousers, shirts and jumpers. Gross motor skills are linked to fine motor skills and in fact are the foundation for fine motor skills and are the foundation that a child will build new skills upon.

Children with gross motor difficulty may experience the following:

·      Poor core and upper body strength

·      Difficulties with throwing, catching and hitting a ball

·      Delayed development

·      Difficulty dressing, cooking, knocking into things and may appear ‘clumsy’

·      Avoidance of sports, playground equipment, riding a bike and playing games that require good gross coordination and manipulation of large objects

·      Poor coordination of body