4 Tips for Gross Motor Development
Babies and toddlers don’t need all that equipment to succeed in developing their physical and motor skills. I know we want to help but the fact is other than providing a space for them to explore, we are not needed in our children's motor development. In fact, such assistance could even interfere with the healthy progression of this development. And, the Australian Government guidelines recommend for children under 2 is that they are not being restrained for more than 1 hour at a time and encourage that less is more. This includes time in prams, car seats, baby carriers, or high chairs. But the physio advice goes further to say that as parents we should also be avoiding anything that 'helps' our children sit or stand as they are learning these skills. So these are the guidelines, but what are gross motor skills and why do they matter?
What are gross motor skills?
Gross motor skills are skills that need the whole body movement using large muscles in the body. These can also include hand-eye coordination skills (throwing, catching, kicking) as well as bike riding and swimming. Children rely on gross motor skills for everyday activities and basic movement throughout their day. For most people these skills are automatic and require little thought, however, these can be more complex than they seem at first glance. These skills involve the coordination of both the muscles and the neurological system and can impact balance and coordination. These are also the basis of fine motor skills that allow for smaller movements and eventually writing.
Skills include:
Climbing
Crawling
Kicking
Lifting
Running
Sitting
Throwing
Walking
Have you heard of container baby syndrome?
It is being used to broadly describe the group of symptoms and findings observed in babies. Seen with delays achieving expected motor milestones such as rolling, sitting, or standing and attributed to increased restricted movement throughout the day. It is believed that because of the container positioning that babies spend less time on their tummy, holding up their own head or sitting on their own.
What counts as a container?
Baby carriers
Nursing pillows or cushions
Car seats
High Chairs
Jumpers or walkers
Swings or bouncers
The Australian Government released in 2019, the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (birth to 5 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep. These detail the required activity for promoting healthy growth and development.
Infants (aged < 1 year)
Physical activity: For children who are not yet very mobile, this includes 30 minutes of tummy time spread throughout the day.
Sedentary behaviour: Not being restrained for more than 1 hour at a time.
Toddlers (aged 1–2 years)
Physical activity: Throughout the day, at least 180 minutes of physical activity through play.
Sedentary Behaviour: Not being restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g., in a stroller, car seat, or high chair) or sitting for extended periods.
Provide space for free exploration
Sit back, grab that cuppa and watch your child explore. Regardless of age, the space to explore can not be underestimated, this does not mean that you need a massive yard or home. Rather that you provide time for them to move their body within the space that you have. This could mean rolling around the floor, climbing on chairs, and having a daily dance party.
Sometimes we fall into the trap of trying to contain the energy of our children and the rate at which they move around the house … kind of like a tornado! We want them to sit down and complete activities quietly and in the same space … but that is not how toddlers work and the freedom to explore and move is what they need, for their gross motor and the movement also help them think and process.
This does not need to be complicated activities or set-ups, rather it can be simple … time. Time on the floor, back, or tummy. Time to walk around the house in circles. Time to climb up on the chair. Time to crawl under the table. Time to dance, twirl and jump.
2. Resist the urge to rush
The clock is ticking … children sit at 6 months, children crawl at 7 months, and walk by 15 … NOPE. There is no clock, there is no timer on children’s development. Children all develop at their own pace at their own rate. But sometimes our excitement as Mamas gets the better of us and we rush in to help them achieve the next stage, to celebrate their achievement.
I’ve been there too, sitting my daughter up and consistently encouraging her to roll every time I put her down. I was eager but really, she would have developed these skills without my help or consistent encouragement. So, try not to help your child do a skill they have not developed yet (sitting, crawling, walking).
The same goes for the park, don’t help your child climb equipment or place them somewhere they can’t get to on their own. They will get there eventually and it will be sweeter for them as they have completed the whole task independently.
3. Get creative with equipment
Think you need a Pikler triangle to encourage free movement and gross motor? THINK AGAIN! You can improvise equipment and nothing beats some cushions on the floor and the space to explore. Consider: an outdoor obstacle course using furniture and cushions; climbing up a high chair or stool and if all else fails head to the local park.
Don’t have the equipment and your baby is beginning to explore, consider what can they safely use to pull themselves up with, no fancy equipment needed rather letting them pull themselves up on the couch or depending on your furniture your coffee table. Can they start climbing on the couch? Could a cushion help them get up? This doesn’t need to be items that are purpose made, rather reuse what you have, provide the space, and see where it leads.
Toddlers might what to climb and explore, can you provide stools for them to move around the house? Or head outside of a nature walk? Again nothing fancy is needed and if all else fails, turn on the tunes and throw a good old-fashioned dance party.
4. Allow for risk
No risk, no reward: cotton wool should be for mending wounds not wrapping children. Consider what would be lost if we removed all risk from the home, how would that impact our children’s confidence, persistence, ability? Allowing our children to take risks in play allows them to explore what their body is capable of and test their boundaries. But I know that seems scary. If we unpack the term beyond further, a risk can be one of two things; a challenge or a hazard.
As a Mama, it encompasses so many facets, but I think first and foremost is to keep our little ones safe. I know when we hear the term risk, as Mamas we jump into protective mode, picture injury, and pain and then avoid at all costs. And that is why risky play is critical to discuss in exploring gross motor development. There is a key balance between risk and reward for us as parents.
The first step in starting to explore this isn’t jumping in feet first, it’s in internal work. Examine and challenge your fears about allowing children to explore risk-taking adventures. Are there some key concerns holding you back? This list then helps you navigate how to manage hazards in a way that aligns with your family.
For us, the key to risky play is active supervision … silent (and gosh I struggle with this!). Watching, observing, waiting.
Then as our daughter approaches a risk, evaluating and assessing the danger
has she done something similar before?
what are her physical and cognitive limits?
can she problem solve this situation?
will intervening now be a larger hazard and distract her, cause her fear, break our trust?
what’s the least intrusive way I can support her? Verbal? Move items? Add support?
To encourage gross motor development, intervening as a parent needs to be as limited as possible, where we can use our words “notice the edge there” or add support “I’m going to add a pillow to the floor if you want to keep jumping off the couch” .
ONE KEYNOTE: if you are not comfortable, if your child is unsafe, run in there screaming “NOOOO” we all have to do this too!
Wrapping it up
At the end of the day, gross motor as with all development its about having the fanciest equipment or about the best play set ups, there is so much involved that focuses on how we parents and that cost us nothing to implement. Don’t be afraid to let your child explore their environment in a way that suits them. Don’t be afraid to use that bouncer while you have a shower (your sanity is important too). Don’t be afraid to repurpose what you already have. You have enough and are enough.
