Motor (or physical) development is a series of milestones children reach as they age. Below are the milestones from birth to 1 year of age:

(CDC, 2022)

Did you know that to promote children’s development, you don’t need to use any equipment? The best tool that you can use to help your kiddo meet their milestones is yourself!

Obstacle Courses: Use furniture and household items to create a safe obstacle course. Encourage crawling under tables, jumping over pillows, and walking along the lines of tape on the floor. Can use a favorite toy to encourage children to complete the obstacle course.

Tummy Time with a Parent: Lay a child on their stomach while a parent lies beside them. This encourages lifting their head and shoulders while also providing a safe and comforting presence. Parents can talk to and play with toys in front of children to support them by looking up and stretching out during tummy time.

Parent as a Bridge: Parents can lie on their back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. The parents can move a toy around to get the child to move around and over the parent. The child can crawl under the "bridge" or climb over it to develop crawling and climbing skills.

Body Balance: Parents can sit cross-legged or lie on the floor, encouraging children to balance on their legs or backs. This promotes balance and coordination. The parent can talk to and make faces at the child to increase time at activity.

Piggyback Rides: Give children piggyback rides or let them climb on their parents’ backs. This is great for strengthening muscles and improving balance. Piggyback rides are also a great way to build a relationship with your child!

Rolling and Tumbling: Parents can lie on the floor and gently roll side to side, encouraging children to mimic the movements or roll along with them, which helps with body awareness and coordination. Parents can talk to, sing, or use toys to encourage children to copy them.

By understanding the stages of motor development and providing a supportive environment for exploration and movement, we can help children thrive physically. Encouraging active play and engaging activities not only enhances their motor skills but also creates a foundation for a healthy lifestyle. As we celebrate these developmental milestones, let’s remember the importance of movement in shaping happy, healthy children!

References

Bree. (2020). How to encourage your baby to crawl [Photograph]. Sprout

and Thrive. https://www.sproutandthrive.com/blog/2020/1/13/how-to-encourage-crawling

CDC. (2022). Milestones. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

Clinique MultiSens. (2015). Early childhood stimulation to improve fine

and gross motor skills. Clinique MultiSens. https://cliniquemultisens.com/early-childhood-stimulation-to-improve-fine-and-gross-motor-skills/#:~:text=The%20course%20can%20include%20going,child%20to%20imitate%20motor%20movements.

Christensen, B. & Salem, A. (2022). When do babies start crawling: 6

tips to encourage crawling. Huckleberry. https://huckleberrycare.com/blog/when-your-baby-starts-crawling

Lovevery. (2024). How to set up an obstacle course [Photograph].

Lovevery. https://blog.lovevery.com/child-development/obstacle-course/

Strong4Life. (2024). The benefits of tummy time for babies