Physical and Motor Development

Maranatha B. Estrada - Vargas

PATTERNS OF MOTOR CONTROL

Cephalocaudal (head to toe)

and

Proximodistal (near to far) growth

HEAD REGION

PATTERNS OF MOTOR CONTROLHEAD REGION

Eye Control• 12 hours after birth-response to moving objects

(light/dark)• Notice Large from small objects – 2 weeks• Ocular pursuit movements-3rd to 4th weeks (2

mos-follow moving objects with eyes)• Horizontal eye movements - 2nd & 3rd months• Vertical Eye Movements – 3rd & 4th Months• Circular Eye Movements – several months later• Recognize individual face – 4 to 5 months

PATTERNS OF MOTOR CONTROLHEAD REGION

Smiling• 1st week of life – reflex

smiling• 3rd to 4th month – social

smiling (8 weeks/2 mos)

PATTERNS OF MOTOR CONTROLHEAD REGION

Head Holding• One month – hold head erect (prone position)

Head Holding• 5 months – hold head when lying on back (supine

position)

Head Holding• 4 to 6 months – hold head when in sitting position

PATTERNS OF MOTOR CONTROLTRUNK REGION

ROLLING• 2 months – roll from side to back• 4 months – roll from back to side• 6 months – roll over completely

SITTING• 4 months – pull to a sitting position• 5 months – sit with support• 7 months – sit without support• 9 months – sit up without support for 10 or more

minutes

PATTERNS OF MOTOR CONTROLARM & HAND REGION

• 3 to 4 months – grasping

• 8 to 10 months – picking

HANDS (thumb in opposition to fingers)

• 6 to 7 months – reach for objects

• 1 year – can pick up a small object without random movements

ARMS

PATTERNS OF MOTOR CONTROLLEG REGION

• 2nd week – shifting of body by kicking• 6 months – moving in a sitting position• 8 to 10 months - crawling• 11 months – walking an all fours• 10 months – pull selves to stand• 11 months – stand with support, walk

with support• 1 year – stand w/o support• 14 months – walk without support

Leg

Research studies on motor control:

• Dennis (1941) development of sitting, standing and walking is determined by growth changes and maturational development of the neural and muscular systems rather than by practice.

Why study physical and motor development of children?

It appears that research is now supporting what we in early childhood education have been saying for years. That is, positive early experiences forge the foundations for lifelong learning and behavior. And, to optimize the development of each child, a rich nurturing environment is required (Diamond & Hopson, 1998; Fischer & Rose, 1998). Such support has been abundant in news articles and journal publications in connection with the importance of early experience in brain development of the young child (Begley, 1997; Nash, 1997). In essence, “rich environments produce rich brains,” and an essential agent in this process is movement activity!

Enhancing early brain and motor skill development:

1. Provide children with lots of sensory-motor experiences, especially of the visual-motor variety. This would include activities that integrate visual information with fine- and gross-motor movements. Such activities include striking, kicking, and catching.

2. Include a variety of basic gross-motor activities that involve postural control, coordination of movements, and locomotion – crawling, creeping, body rolling, and jumping. In addition to stimulating the general wiring patterns of these fundamental skills, moderate and vigorous intensity gross-motor activity provide the brain with its chief energy source, glucose. In essence, these activities increase blood flow, which feeds the brain and enhances neuronal connectivity during the critical period.

3. Combine movement activities and music. Although the jury is still out regarding the relationship between musical experience and specific academic achievement, the combination of music with movement presents an excellent learning medium for young children.

Late Childhood: Physical Development

Height (annual increase is 2-3

inches)

Weight (3 to 5 pounds

annually)

Body Proportion

On average, girls begin puberty at ages 10–11; boys at ages 11–12. Girls usually complete puberty by ages 15–17, while boys usually complete puberty by ages 16–17.

Late Childhood: Physical Development

Homeliness(unattractive

not good looking, lacks elegance or refinement)

Muscle-Fat Ratio

Teeth (onset of puberty 28-32 permanent teeth, last 4 wisdom teeth erupt in

adolescence)

Late Childhood Skillsaccording to Hurlock (1982):

Self-Help Skills(able to eat, dress, bathe and groom)

Social-Help Skills(relate to helping

others; making beds, dusting, sweeping,

throw trash)

School Skills(skills needed in writing, drawing,

painting, clay modeling, dancing, crayoning, sewing,

cooking)

Play Skills(throwing, catching

balls, riding a bicycle, skating, swimming)

Handedness Right-handedness, left-

handedness, mixed-handedness & ambidextrous

individual preference for use of a hand

If a child has already well-learned handedness skills, do not try to change the child’s handedness, but you

can encourage left handed children to be ambidextrous.

THE END.

Thumb Opposition

-refers to the ability to turn and rotate the thumb so that it can touch each fingertip of the same hand. This allows us to grasp objects of various sizes and operate tools. Imagine trying to tie shoes, pull up a zipper or hit a ball with a bat without your thumbs.

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