Life Span Development II School Age and Adolescence

Life Span Development II: School age and Adolescence 3 (2+1)

Lesson 3 : Motor Skills in Late child hood

Types of motor skills

The motor skills are basically of two types

1. Gross motor skills
2. Fine motor skills

1. Gross motor skills:

Many gross motor skills that were awkward in early childhood extended in a more systematic and proficient fashion in this period. They intensify their speed and coordination in running, jumping, kicking and dribbling. They can understand well about social rules used in organized games and sports.

Running: At the ages of 4 and 5, there is continued improvement in the form and power used in running. This improvement results in the gradual development of necessary control of efficient stopping, turning and starting.

By the time the child reaches 5 or 6, the adult manner of running is fairly well established and can be integrated into most of the play activities. Boys and girls perform similarly till adolescence, but the rate of girl’s performance declines slightly and the performance of boys continues to improve.

Jumping :- Child doesn’t undertake jumping until some degree of proficiency has been attained in more basic locomotive skills around 5 years.

Like running, jumping requires complex motor skills of form, balance, maintenance of equilibrium. It also requires the advanced skills of equilibrium and balance in negotiating an accelerated leap and decelerated stop. Gender differences are similar for jumping too.

Throwing:

There are four types of throws. They are

1. Anterior Posterior Throw:- Least mature throw, seen at the age of 2-3 years, major sign is movements of arms and body which are confined to body.
2. Throwing with horizontal arm and body movement:- Major shift in throw (3.5 to 5 years), horizontal arm movements and body rotation provide additional momentum for the object. Feet remain together and in place while throwing.
3. Weight Transfer in throwing:- At 5/6 years, a dramatic change is marked by transfer of weight from one foot to other.
4. Mature overhand throw:- Major characteristic is rearrangement of foot patterning.





By about 6 years most children are proficient in mature overhand throw. Gender differences are similar for throwing too.

2. Fine motor skills: The fine motor skills like hand writing becomes smaller, smoother and more consistent and they begin to tackle motor activities like sewing, model building and arts and crafts.