Babies are enthusiastic little ones who are always searching for opportunities to develop and refine their infant motor skills. I don’t think we really think about learning to walk or stand or climb as a course, but this is what they are learning at their age.
In the first few months of life, the movements of your baby change from fast and twitchy to steady and more deliberate as the nervous system and muscle coordination begin to get in tune.
Gross motor skill development involves the main groups of muscles used to sit, stand, run, crawl, walk, or shift positions, such as those in arms, legs, and the entire torso. Discover the gross motor activities for infants that can help to develop this skill.
Crawl Through the Tunnel
Encourage your child to crawl in a tunnel. Sit down on the other side of the tunnel, sing, clap, and pass the toys around. Do whatever your child likes and what drives him or her.
You may as well buy a tunnel. However, by opening an empty box on both sides, you can also build one. Or you may opt to put two chairs or a blanket over the table.
Reach Up High
Consider putting Post-It notes on the wall just out of their sitting reach once your baby can pull themselves up to a shaky stand. They would be happy to help themselves up and pick up the notes and take them off the wall.
In high places, put toys and encourage your baby to reach for them. If you have a walker, and your kid is ready enough to get into the walker, let him/her reach up from there.
The whole core, arms, and legs are will be exercised. Hold your baby for support if you don’t have a walker and motivate him to stand and reach up.
Tummy Time
Consider taking a little tummy time. Place your infant on his stomach under your strict supervision to strengthen the muscles of his neck and back.
Get the attention of your baby by holding a vibrant toy and making a fascinating noise. Always keep “tummy time” sessions quick should be done for about a minute or two.
Texture Crawl
On the floor, tape a long piece of butcher paper. Place it in a high-traffic play spot to be explored by your baby. If deemed necessary, cut down your selected materials to fit within the butcher paper.
By securing all four corners with tape, attach your textured materials spaced out along the paper. Be generous in taping.
With this step, the more thorough you are, the better it’ll hold up. Make sure you leave a sufficient quantity of the material exposed for exploration, though. This would possibly be learned by your infant(s) on their own.
Kids seem to be incredibly inquisitive and attentive to discovery. You can provide them with terms to identify the textures they find as they navigate the area, like scratchy, rough, glossy, smooth, and so on.
Stuffed Animal Slide
A stuffed animal (or many) and a slide are all that you need. A common toddler activity is rolling stuff down the slide. Take it one step further and get a slide for their stuffed animals and friends.
This can be done in your garden, but it can be done in a nursery, too. Once on the slide, you may have to carry their cuddly toy as they climb the slide based on the climbing abilities of your child.
Whether they would opt to send the friend down first or have it slide next to them, ask once at the top. For as long as they are interested, carry on.
Crunch and Rip the Magazine
It’s a perfect exercise for both arm and belly muscles. Place a nursing pillow behind, or sit behind your baby for assistance if your baby can’t sit alone yet.
Give one of those bulky magazines to your child, and encourage him/her to crunch and tear pages. Ripping out the magazine page needs strong muscles in the arms. Do not encourage your child to eat the paper to prevent choking.
Conclusion
As your child grows and continues to explore their world, they learn new skills. Gross motor skills are one set of skills that they can bring right from the start to their array of tricks.
At various points, there are several ways you can promote these skills, and one of them is letting them experience the above activities.
