Young children’s physical health and motor development are not only important for their overall development – they help prepare children for school and establish healthy habits that can continue to adulthood.
Young children’s physical health and motor development are not only important for their overall development – they help prepare children for school and establish healthy habits that can continue to adulthood. Families can use the activities in this section to support children’s health and well-being, gross motor development, and fine motor development. Activities which support health and well-being include encouraging young children to move their growing bodies, to make healthy choices, to understand safety rules, and to practice self-care routines with more independence as they grow older (like feeding, dressing, hand washing, etc.). Gross motor activities help children coordinate balance, control their own body movements, and strengthen large muscles including arms, legs, and trunk through rolling over, sitting, crawling, pulling to stand, walking, climbing, running, jumping, throwing, catching, etc. Fine motor activities help strengthen the small muscles of hands and fingers. Fine motor skills that develop during infancy and toddlerhood, such as reaching, grasping, handling small objects, turning pages in a book, and drawing, help prepare them for tasks like buttoning, tying shoes, and writing as they grow older.