Thinking Zebras
Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Gross motor movements use the big muscles of our body.
In the exercise above the child is using the big muscles of his abdomen and arms to sort the toys while maintaining balance on a therapy ball.
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Scroll down below for more details on this activity!
What are Gross Motor Skills?
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Gross motor skills is the ability to use large muscles of our body such as the ones in our back, abdomen, arms and legs. These include all forms of movements such as walking, running, jumping, playing sports etc.
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Although outwardly, it's the big muscles that move. But inside it's the brain that is coordinating, orchestrating, planning the next move, and problem solving how to move more efficiently while navigating people & objects around.
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When people think Gross motor they think Physical Therapy. But interestingly, this area is also used in interventions by OTs to address self regulation to support level of alertness; to improve core strengthen to target seating posture; and to build shoulder stability & hand strength for Fine motor skills.
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​Children with neurological and developmental disabilities such as autism, ADHD, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, etc often show challenges with gross motor skills.
Why are Gross Motor Skills Important?
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They give children confidence to navigate their environment in order to create meaningful social interactions at school, in the playground, at home, and in their community.
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Movement (exercising) is tonic for our brain. It releases endorphins (neurochemicals) that are known to improve level of alertness.
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They allow formation of new neural connections - that improve attention, cognition and memory.
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Movement allows children to explore and play, which lays foundation for higher order academic skills.
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Movement can be used as sensory breaks that improve our endurance to work and stay engaged.
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These large muscles help stabilize children's bodies to sit upright in the classroom, so they can pay attention and focus all day long.
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They enable children to learn more extracurricular activities and build hobbies such as riding a bike, playing sports skiing, learning to dance, etc.
How To Identify If Your child Needs Support In Gross Motor Skills
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The rate at which each child acquires these skills varies and depends on the biology, neurology and the environmental opportunities. The opportunities we provide them play a big role.
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Your child may lack Gross Motor Skills if -
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you observe your child avoiding movement activities in the playground or at school during gym or recess.
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your child appears clumsy or uncoordinated and tends to trip or fall frequently.
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you see your child is always sitting slumped with a poor posture or is always leaning on the surfaces.
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If you're unsure, consider asking your child’s classroom teacher about their performance during recess and PE. You might ask whether your child is actively engaged in play, if they tire easily compared to their peers, how they navigate the classroom around furniture and other students, and how they manage climbing stairs.
If You Suspect Delays in Gross Motor Skills
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Speak to your child’s pediatrician if you think your child is struggling in Gross motor skills. After ruling out any medical complications, a pediatrician may then recommend physical or occupational therapy services. The process of receiving therapy usually involves a detailed evaluation to understand a child's abilities and challenges. Based on this information the therapist will create goals, which are then targeted in the treatment sessions. Therapists can also create a home program and give ideas of activities that parents can do at home in between the sessions.
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If your child is of school age, you can also request a consultation with a physical therapist or an occupational therapist at school, who can guide you for the next steps.
How Can an OT Help?
OTs are experts at task analysis. We break down the task into small steps, analyze the child’s performance in each of those steps, and identify the factors that may be impacting the performance. Listed here are some of the factors that are considered during evaluation of gross motor skills.Your OT may use standardized assessment. In addition, they will observe your child in the school setting and/or at home, interview with the parents and the teachers to assess child's gross motor skills. Based on all this information, the therapist will establish goals and target them in treatment sessions. They can also create a home program with activity suggestions for parents to reinforce skills at home. Furthermore, therapists can collaborate with teachers to provide strategies for classroom support.​
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muscle tone
Ideas For Home Activities
Parents can play an important role in skill development. They can create fun activities at home that children can engage in a naturalistic, no -pressure, easy -paced environment. The comfort of feeling control over the environment gives children more confidence in trying more challenging tasks in playful ways.
Trace the Ball on the Wall Activity
Activity Targets: Great activity to strengthen the shoulder muscles.
Items Needed: Small to medium sized ball and painters tape to make shapes or zig zag lines on the wall.
How To Do: Have the child roll the ball on the lines slowly and in a controlled manner. Use softer or smaller balls to introduce the activity. To make the activity more challenging, use a bigger ball or a heavier ball.
Activity Targets: Fun activity to build a child's endurance & core strength.
Items Needed: Lots of cushion (pillows, comforters, blankets), a and safe space (free of corners and edges).
How To Do: Allow the child to jump & crash from a stable surface and commando crawl (or do any of the many animal walks) over the cushions. And Repeat. To make it more fun, play a song or use a 2 minute timer and count how many times your child can do it. And then see if they can break their previous score. Make sure to provide parental supervision so the child is safe.
Jump and Crash Activity
Strengthening Core on Therapy Ball Activity
Activity Targets: Core strengthening.
Items Needed: Therapy ball (slighty bigger ball) , small toys & 2 bins.
How To Do: Ask the child to lay on the therapy ball and balance themselves with their hands such that their feet are not touching the ground. First, provide support and allow time and space to practice balancing on the ball with feet above the ground. Once the child is able to do so, introduce the next step of the activity, which is moving/sorting toys from one basket to the next. To increase the challenge place more toys to be moved from one bin to the next. Or use a timer to see how long it takes for the child to move 10 toys and then time again to see if they can beat their previous score.
Activity Targets: Core strengthening, Balancing, coordination & learning.
Items Needed: Painters tape & alphabets written on post-it notes or on 2"x2" paper.
How To Do: Create a list of words you want your child to learn. Write the letters of those words on the post-it note (or on the 2"x2" paper). Next, make the hopscotch on the floor with painters tape. To start the activity make sure the child knows how to do hopscotch. If hopping on one leg is difficult for them, then let them hop with both feet or you can hold their hands and help them learn hopping on one leg. Once the child is comfortable doing hopscotch, now place the paper/post-it -notes (with alphabet written on it) on the hopscotch in random order (making sure that the letters for the word that you will call out are there on the floor). To start, call out the word- review the spelling with the child - and then ask them to hopscotch, pick up the letters and arrange them sequentially to make the spelling. This is a difficult activity. So start with easy words for your child to feel successful.
Hop and Learn Activity
Scooter Board Sitting Activity
Activity Targets: Core strength.
Items Needed: Scooter board (right size for your child) and a puzzle with 8-10 pieces.
How To Do: Seat your child in the center of the board and ask them to hold the handles of the board on the sides. Remind them to be careful of their finger positioning on the scooter board as they hold it (to avoid fingers getting caught in the wheels). Place the puzzle pieces all around the room, call out a puzzle piece, and ask your child to use their legs to walk or roll on the board to get that piece and put it on the puzzle board.
Therapy Ball Pushing Activity
Activity Targets: Great overall core and arm strengthening activity.
Items Needed: A larger sized therapy ball.
How To Do: This activity requires two people. Kneel on your knees and push the therapy ball with your hands. Push the ball to see who can knock the opponent down. Encourage your child to use their hands and not their body or head.