A child doesn’t have a natural understanding of its gross and fine motor skills and needs its parents to show encouragement. It is important a parent gives their child opportunities to use these skills, such as; providing toys, playing with them, demonstrating, and taking them into environments where other children are. If parents don’t do this then the child is likely to be; shy, under – develop, have no ability to interact with other children, and have no co- operative skills.
What children learn through Physical Play
Children are motivated by opportunities in play and games that involve them in physical play. Physical play helps children develop the following:
- Progress steadily as they develop
- Develop fine and gross motor skills
- The understanding of how to be co – operative and act in a group
- To learn and improve skills such as throwing, catching, kicking, rolling, dodging, etc
- Understand the meaning of rules and fair play
- Responsibility for their actions
- Develop awareness of space
- Become confident in using her gross and fine motor skills.
- Growth
- Manipulative skills
- Sensory development
Development of Gross Motor Skills
Children develop their gross motor skills outside as they use all their muscles in their; body, arms, and legs. The toys which promote these skills are tricycles, balls, skipping ropes. As they progress children will acquire the following skills:
- Walking
- Running
- Stopping
- Jumping
- Climbing
- Pushing and pulling wheeled toys
- Skipping
- Throwing and catching a ball
- Balancing
Development of fine motor skills
These skills are built inside as children. Use smaller muscles for this such as their fingers, hands and eyes. The toys, which develop these skills, are stickle bricks, jig-saw puzzles, crayons, etc. As they develop children will gain many skills such as:
- Pointing
- Drawing
- Doing up buttons
- Using a knife and fork
- Writing
Why is outdoor physical play important?
This type of play is very important in a child’s development as it gives children a chance to explore different surroundings and environment to see for themselves what the world is like. By doing this it also improves heart rate and blood circulation and helps their balance and co – ordination. This type of play is also very important to develop their social skills therefore encouraging sharing, taking turns, and co – operation.
Why is Physical Indoor Play important?
This type of play is also very important in a childs learning as it gives them a sense of independence. This lets them to learn for themselves what they can do. This type of play is also known as “quiet time” as it is not a social activity and is something a child explores on its own. The fine motor skills are closely linked to this because a child explores with its hands and fingers. Toys which cultivate these skills are; jigsaws, puzzles, and crayons etc.
Sensory Development and physical play
During, a childs first years he/she will learn about the world their senses; taste, touch, smell and sight. Vision is closely linked to fine motor skills and the development of hand – eye – co – ordination. Smell is linked to social and emotional development, hearing for language development, and taste and touch develops intellectual development. A child must explore its surroundings to learn about the world it is in.
Growth and Development chart for Emily
Emilys physical play/skills learnt through nursery
When Emily has learnt a great deal through her time at nursery. According to Pamela Minnet from going to nursery this gives a child a great deal of confidence and helps them learn how to interact with other children and people. One thing Emily has learnt the most from her time at nursery is how to use her gross motor skills and fine motor skills.
