Updated: The Link Between Motor Development, Physical Literacy And Sport

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Welcome back! In our previous blog, we had a look at the secret link between movement and your child's brain. However, movement is also crucial to help your child move through all the different phases of motor development. It further helps a child to develop all the necessary physical literacy skills required for future academic and sport success.

Realizing the importance of being physically active, we should aim to engage our children more in movement on an everyday basis. Can you remember the following from the previous blog post?

• Toddlers (age 1 - 3 years) and preschoolers (age 3 - 5 years) should be physically active for at least three hours per day

• Children between 5–17 years of age should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity on a daily basis. Most of these activities should be aerobic. Vigorous-intense activities that will strengthen a child’s muscles and bones, should also be included at least 3 times per week.

Movement Obstacles

TV, DVDs and computer games may be popular with kids, but they usually involve sitting for long periods of time. This is causing children to lose out on the very benefits of being active. Regardless of how active kids may be, it is still important to limit screen time. The American Academy of Pediatrics has provided guidelines when it comes to screen time.

• Children older than 5 years are allowed 2 hours of screen time per day.

• For children 2 to 5 years of age, sitting and watching television or using other electronic media (DVDs, computer and other electronic games) should be limited to less than 1 hour per day.

• Children younger than 2 years of age should not spend any time watching television or using other electronic media such as DVDs, computer and other electronic games.

  
  

Please, please, please. We are pleading with parents and schools to follow these guidelines (especially for children younger than 2 years), and to not brush it off lightly. In our practice, we see more and more children with autism-like symptoms because of too much screen time. (This is called 'virtual' autism and is differs from neurodiverse people on the autistic spectrum).

What alternative can we give our children? The first tip would be to get moving yourself! Remember you are the most important role model in your child’s life. By being active with your child, you can encourage a lifelong love for exercise. A bonus is that you will reap all the benefits of movement yourself..!

If you are a preschool or school, make sure to also prioritize the daily physical activities of the EduMove program into your school's curriculum. In today's hurried life, stimulation and exercise should be done on purpose, not only by accident. Therefore we need to purposefully plan to get active and healthy. We need to make it one of our lifelong goas!

Motor Development

There is no question about the importance of motor development. In addition to it being a critical part of a child moving successfully, it is also widely believed to be the basis for perceptual and cognitive function. But what exactly is motor development?

Motor development is the process of gaining muscular control and coordination to move the body and perform physical skills. It progresses from simple, reflexive movements in babies to more complex, purposeful actions throughout childhood and adolescence.

This development is divided into two main categories: gross motor skills (using large muscle groups for movements like walking and jumping) and fine motor skills (using smaller muscles for precise actions like writing and picking up small objects). 

Now that we know the basics of motor development, let us look at the 3 most important categories of motor skills when it comes to your child's motor development:

• stability skills

• locomotor skills

• manipulative or object control skills

These skills are addressed by the EduMove program and are observed throughout all phases of motor development - from birth to adulthood. St

ability is a key element required for every human movement.

Stability Skills

Let’s begin by exploring stability skills. Stability is necessary for all locomotor and object control skills. In essence, all movement involves an element of stability. Stability skills are focused on gaining and maintaining balance.

Your child is constantly seeking to maintain stability throughout the day. This means he needs to be sensitive to how his body changes posture, and then he needs to be able to make the necessary changes to be stable again. Stability skills in a baby can be observed by him controlling his neck, head and trunk whilst sitting and standing.

Stability skills in children include:

• static balance (maintaining the body in the same posture/position)

• dynamic balance (maintaining postural stability whilst the body is moving)

• bending and curling

• turning

• twisting

• stretching

• transferring weight

These stability skills are refined throughout childhood until a child reaches the sport specialization stage of motor development. Static balance is one of the most important stability skills. In order to help your child develop static balance, ask your child the following:

Can you balance ......?

• like a dragonfly on a leaf

• with eyes opened/closed

• while swinging your arms like a helicopter trying to take-off

• on tiptoes like a flamingo

• on three different parts of your body

• on a low stool

• standing on one foot with the other foot on a soccer ball

Locomotor Skills In Children

From stability skills, we move on to locomotor skills. Locomotor skills involve moving the body from one location to another. Many locomotor skills are used on a daily basis (e.g. running after a bus, leaping over a puddle). Locomotor skills are also applied in games and sports (e.g. jumping up to catch a ball).

To move with control, your child will need good balance as well as an awareness of the environment in terms of effort and space. He will also need to know where his body is in relation to other people or objects. This is because body movements often occur in relation to at least one of these factors.

Locomotor skills include (in ascending levels of difficulty for most children):

• walking

• running

• leaping

• jumping (off a height), jumping for height (vertical jump), jumping for distance (horizontal jump)

• sliding

• galloping

• hopping

• skipping

While children learn the different locomotor skills at their own pace, many would learn to walk at about one year old, then progress to run and jump at about 2 years of age. From about 3, they start to explore sliding, galloping, hopping and skipping. To master these skills, children need instructions at an early age and lots of opportunities to practice them... and in the course of it, have fun!

Running is one of the most basic movement skills required in our everyday life. It is also a foundational skill required in many dynamic activities, games and sports (e.g. tag games, athletics, hockey, rugby). Mastering good running techniques for different situations will enable your child to move successfully and confidently.

In order to help your child develop good running skills, ask your child the following: Can you run ......?

• heavily like an elephant

• funny as a clown

• in a quick-slow-quick rhythm

• on the spot like a hamster on the wheel

• along the outlines of a big lazy 8 figure on the floor

• and reach for the clouds

• holding hands with your sisters and/or brothers

You can take the above suggestions and also combine them to get more fun, silly ideas!

Object Manipulation And Coordination Skills In Children

Lastly, we are going to look at object control skills. These skills require your child to control an object using a part of the body or using equipment such as a bat. There are two types of object control skills: propelling skills (sending an object away e.g. throwing or kicking) and receiving skills (receiving an object e.g. catching). In daily living, as well as in many games and sports, there is often a need for both these types of skills.

Object control skills include:

• throwing

• underarm rolling

• underarm throwing

• overarm throwing

• catching

• kicking

• dribbling with foot

• bouncing

• dribbling with hand

Catching is an important skill in most ball games but is challenging for many young children, as the catcher is not in control of the speed of the oncoming object. The child has to track the object (keep his eye on it) and move his body and hands in response, before catching it.

For beginners, start with objects that are bright, light and travel slowly (e.g. scarf, stuffed toy, balloon). This skill may need to be taught together with throwing skills.

The ‘avoidance tendency’ is common among younger children who instinctively turn their faces away or close their eyes to avoid being hit. This is sometimes also true for anxious children of any age who prefer to rather throw an object away from them than receiving an object (into their personal space).

In order to help your child develop good manipulation skills, ask your child the following: Can you throw a ball underhand or overhand ......?

• as far as possible

• hitting a large object, then a smaller object

• using your dominant hand, then your non-dominant hand

• upwards, backwards or sideways

• so that it draws a rainbow in the sky

• in between lines or inside a hoola hoop

• so that it first bounces before it touches a wall

• so that it first hits a wall, then bounces on the floor before catching it again

Conclusion

Now that you know more about motor development per se, it will be good to look at common factors that can keep children from enjoying movement and being active. For this reason, our next article will focus on hypermobility (or being double-jointed). We will explore what hypermobility entails, how it can affect a child's motor development and what you can do to help a child with lax ligaments. Until then, happy moving moments!

Die Verband Tussen Motoriese Ontwikkeling, Fisieke Geletterdheid en Sport

Welkom terug! In ons vorige blog het ons gekyk na die geheime verband tussen beweging en jou kind se brein. Beweging is egter ook van kardinale belang om jou kind te help om deur al die verskillende fases van motoriese ontwikkeling te beweeg. Dit help 'n kind verder om al die nodige fundamentele vaardighede te ontwikkel wat nodig is vir toekomstige sportsukses.

Noudat ons weet hoe belangrik beweging is, moet ons daarna streef om intensioneel te wees en om beweging daagliks vir ons kinders te prioritiseer. Kan jy die volgende inligting van die vorige blog onthou?

• Peuters (ouderdom 1 - 3 jaar) en kleuters (ouderdom 3 - 5 jaar) moet minstens 3 ure per dag fisies aktief moet wees

• Kinders tussen 5 en 17 jaar oud moet daagliks vir ten minste 60 minute fisiek aktief wees. Die meeste van hierdie aktiwiteite moet aërobies van aard wees. Hoë intensiteit aktiwiteite wat 'n kind se spiere en bene sal versterk, moet minstens 3 keer per week ingesluit word.

Wat Keer Kinders Om Te Beweeg?

TV, slimfone en rekenaarspeletjies is miskien gewild onder kinders, maar dit veroorsaak dat hulle vir lang tye sit en uiteindelik uitmis op die voordele van beweging. Ongeag hoe aktief kinders kan wees, is dit steeds belangrik om skermtyd te beperk. Die American Academy of Pediatrics het riglyne gegee wat skermtyd betref.

• Kinders ouer as 5 jaar word toegelaat om 2 uur skermtyd per dag te hê.

• Vir kinders van 2 tot 5 jaar moet skermtyd beperk word tot minder as 1 uur per dag.

• Kinders jonger as 2 jaar moet geensins aan skermtyd blootgestel word nie a.g.v. die negatiewe invloed wat dit op hulle breinontwikkeling het. 

Asseblief, asseblief, asseblief. Ons pleit by ouers en skole om hierdie riglyne te volg (veral vir kinders jonger as 2 jaar), en om dit nie ligtelik af te maak nie. In ons praktyk sien ons meer en meer kinders met simptome wat outisme mimiek as gevolg van te veel skermtyd. (Dit word 'virtuele' outisme genoem en verskil van neurodiverse mense op die outistiese spektrum).

Watter alternatief kan ons aan ons kinders gee? Die eerste wenk sal wees om jouself aan die beweeg te kry! Onthou jy is die belangrikste rolmodel in jou kind se lewe. Deur saam met jou kind aktief te wees, kan jy 'n lewenslange liefde vir oefening aanmoedig. 'n Bonus is dat jy self al die voordele van beweging sal ervaar..!

As jy 'n kleuterskool of skool is, maak seker dat jy daagliks die fisieke aktiwiteite van die EduMove program by jou skool prioritiseer. In vandag se haastige lewe moet stimulasie en oefening doelbewus gedoen word, nie net per ongeluk nie. Daarom moet ons doelbewus beplan om aktief en gesond te word. Ons moet dit een van ons lewenslange doelwitte maak.

Motoriese Ontwikkeling

Daar is geen twyfel oor die belangrikheid van motoriese ontwikkeling nie. Benewens die feit dat dit 'n kritieke deel vorm van 'n kind wat suksesvol beweeg, glo die meeste pediatriese professies dat dit die basis vorm vir perseptuele en kognitiewe funksies. Maar wat presies is motoriese ontwikkeling? 

Motoriese ontwikkeling is die proses om spierbeheer en koördinasie te verkry om die liggaam te beweeg en fisiese vaardighede uit te voer. Dit ontwikkel van eenvoudige, refleksiewe bewegings by babas tot meer komplekse, doelgerigte aksies deur kinderjare en adolessensie.

Hierdie ontwikkeling word in twee hoofkategorieë verdeel: groot-motoriese vaardighede (gebruik van groot spiergroepe vir bewegings soos loop en spring) en fyn-motoriese vaardighede (gebruik van kleiner spiere vir presiese aksies soos skryf en om klein voorwerpe op te tel).

Noudat jy die basiese beginsels van motoriese ontwikkeling beter verstaan, kan jy kyk na die 3 belangrikste kategorieë van motoriese vaardighede wat jou kind se motoriese ontwikkeling betref:

• Stabiliteitsvaardighede

• Lokomotoriese vaardighede

• Objekmanipulasie en koördinasievaardighede

Hierdie vaardighede word in die EduMove program aangespreek en word in alle fases van motoriese ontwikkeling waargeneem - van geboorte tot volwassenheid.

Stabiliteitsvaardighede

Stabiliteit is nodig vir alle lokomotoriese en balvaardighede. In wese sluit alle bewegings 'n element van stabiliteit in. Stabiliteitsvaardighede is gefokus op die handhawing van balans.

Jou kind soek voortdurend stabiliteit deur die dag. Dit beteken hy moet sensitief wees vir hoe sy liggaamshouding verander, en dan moet hy die nodige veranderinge kan aanbring om weer stabiel te wees. Stabiliteitsvaardighede by 'n baba kan waargeneem word deur die feit dat hy sy nek, kop en romp beheer terwyl hy sit en staan.

Stabiliteitsvaardighede by kinders sluit in:

• Statiese balans (handhawing van die liggaam in dieselfde postuur/posisie)

• Dinamiese balans (handhaaf postuurstabiliteit terwyl die liggaam beweeg)

• Draai

• Swaai

• Strek

• Gewigsverplasing

Hierdie stabiliteitsvaardighede word gedurende die kinderjare verfyn totdat 'n kind die sportspesialisasiefase van motoriese ontwikkeling bereik. Statiese balans is een van die belangrikste stabiliteitsvaardighede. Om jou kind te help om statiese balans te ontwikkel, vra jou kind die volgende:

Kan jy balanseer….?

• soos 'n naaldekoker op 'n blaar

• met oop/toe oë

• terwyl jy jou arms swaai soos 'n helikopter wat probeer opstyg

• terwyl jy op jou tone loop soos 'n flamink

• op drie verskillende dele van jou liggaam

• op 'n lae stoel

• deur op die een voet te staan met die ander voet op 'n sokkerbal

Lokomotoriese vaardighede by kinders

Lokomotoriese vaardighede is wanneer jy van een plek na 'n ander beweeg. Baie lokomotoriese vaardighede word daagliks gebruik (byvoorbeeld om agter 'n bus aan te hardloop of oor 'n plas water te spring). Lokomotoriese vaardighede word ook in speletjies en sport toegepas (bv. om op te spring om 'n bal te vang).

Om met beheer te beweeg, moet jou kind ‘n goeie balans sowel as 'n bewustheid van die omgewing hê. Hy sal ook moet weet waar sy liggaam is in verhouding tot ander mense of voorwerpe.

• Lokomotoriese vaardighede sluit in (en is gelys van maklik na moeilik):

• Loop

• Hardloop

• Spring (vanaf 'n hoogte, spring vir hoogte, spring vir afstand)

• Glypasse

• Gallop

• Hop

• Huppel

Terwyl kinders die verskillende lokomotoriese vaardighede op hul eie tempo aanleer, sal die meeste kinders op ongeveer een jaar oud leer loop en dan op ongeveer tweejarige ouderdom na hardloop en spring beweeg. Vanaf ongeveer drie jaar begin hulle gly, gallop, spring en huppel. Om hierdie vaardighede te bemeester, benodig kinders op 'n vroeë ouderdom instruksies en baie geleenthede om dit te oefen ... Hoe meer sukses hulle ervaar, hoe meer sal hulle dit geniet!

Hardloop is een van die mees basiese bewegingsvaardighede wat in ons alledaagse lewe vereis word. Dit is ook 'n grondslagvaardigheid wat in baie dinamiese aktiwiteite, speletjies en sport vereis word (bv. “tag”-speletjies”, atletiek, hokkie en rugby). Om jou kind te help om goeie hardloopvaardighede te ontwikkel, vra jou kind die volgende: Kan jy ...... hardloop?

• swaar soos 'n olifant

• snaaks soos 'n nar

• in 'n vinnig-stadig-vinnige ritme

• op die plek soos 'n muis op die wiel

• langs die buitelyne van 'n groot 8-figuur op die vloer

• terwyl jy opreik na die wolke

• terwyl jy iemand anders se hande houvas

Jy kan bogenoemde voorstelle neem en dit ook kombineer om meer prettige, snaakse idees te kry!

Objekmanipulasie en koördinasievaardighede by kinders

Hierdie vaardighede vereis dat jou kind 'n voorwerp beheer – met sy eie liggaam of met behulp van toerusting soos 'n kolf. Daar is twee tipes manipulasie vaardighede:

• dryfvaardighede (om 'n voorwerp weg van jou liggaam af te stuur, bv. gooi, skop ‘n bal)

• ontvangvaardighede (die ontvangs van 'n voorwerp, bv die vang van ‘n bal)

Objekmanipulasie en koordinasievaardighede sluit in:

• Gooi

• Onderarm rol

• Onderarm gooi

• Oorarm gooi

• Vang

• Skop

• Dribbel bal met voet

• Bons

• Dribbel bal met hand

Vang is 'n belangrike vaardigheid in die meeste balspeletjies, maar dit is uitdagend vir baie jong kinders, aangesien die kind nie in beheer is van die spoed van die aankomende voorwerp nie. Die kind moet die voorwerp dophou (sy oog daarop hou) en sy liggaam en hande in reaksie beweeg voordat hy dit kan vang.

Om ‘n jong kind te leer om ‘n bal te vang, begin met voorwerpe wat helder, lig en stadig beweeg (bv. ‘n serp, opgestopte speeding of ballon). Jong kinders is geneig om instinktief hul gesigte weg te draai of hul oë toe te maak om te verhoed dat hulle getref word. Angstige kinders (van enige ouderdom) doen dit ook soms aangesien hulle verkies om eerder 'n voorwerp weg te gooi van hulle liggame af eerder as om 'n voorwerp in hul persoonlike ruimte te ontvang.

Om jou kind te help om goeie manipulasievaardighede te ontwikkel, vra jou kind die volgende: Kan jy 'n bal onder hand of oorhand gooi ......?

• sover as moontlik

• met jou dominante hand, dan jou nie-dominante hand

• opwaarts, agtertoe of sywaarts

• sodat dit soos 'n reënboog in die lug trek

• tussen lyne of binne 'n hula hoepel

• sodat dit nie bons voordat dit aan 'n muur raak nie

• sodat dit eers 'n muur tref en dan op die vloer bons voordat dit weer gevang word

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Noudat jy meer weet oor motoriese ontwikkeling, sal dit goed wees om volgende keer na algemene faktore te kyk wat kinders kan weerhou om beweging te geniet en aktief te wees. Om hierdie rede sal ons volgende artikel fokus op hipermobiliteit (“double-jointedness”). Ons sal breedvoerig oor hipermobiliteit gesels, die tekens en simptome daarvan en wat jy kan doen om 'n kind met lakse ligamente te help. Tot dan, gelukkige bewegingsoomblikke saam met jou kind!