Gross Motor Skills

What are they?

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Gross motor skills involve movement of the whole body and/or large muscles of the body.

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Gross motor skills are promoted according to age-appropriate gross motor milestones. They can be divided into the following areas:

1. Gross locomotor skills - basic; includes:

   • Walking​

   • Running

   • Skipping

   • Gallopping

   • Jumping

   • Hopping

   • Climbing

2. Gross locomotor skills - complicated; such as:

   • Hopscotch​

   • Skipping with a skipping rope

   • Swinging on a swingset

   • Peddling on a tricycle or bike

   • Using play equipment / monkey bars

   • Gymnastics

3. Balance skills:

   • Balancing on one foot​

   • Balancing along a balance beam

   • Balancing on stilts

4. Ball Skills; includes a variety of ball skills belonging to different sports

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