Physical Education in ECE: Topic 2

TOPIC 2: MOTOR DEVELOPMENT

Objectives:

In this topic, you will learn how to:

I. Define the motor development

II. Identify the motor development of infant and young children

III. Understand the gross motor development

IV. Understand the fine motor development

Definition

“Motor development refers to changes in children’s ability to control their body’s

movements, from infants’ first sponiontaneous waving and kicking movements.

The term motor behavior describes all movements of the body, including movements of
the eyes (as in the gaze), and the infant’s developing control of the head.

Gross motor actions include the movement of large limbs or the whole body, as in
walking.

Fine motor behaviors include the use of fingers to grasp and manipulate objects. Motor
behaviors such as reaching, touching, and grasping are forms of exploratory activity.

Infants

As infants develop increasing motor competence, they use perceptual information to

inform their choices about which motor actions to take (Adolph and Joh 2007). For
example, they may adjust their crawling or walking in response to the rigidity,
slipperiness, or slant of surfaces (Adolph 1997).

Kolej Teknologi Antarabangsa CyberneticsPage 6

 Physical Education in ECE: Topic 2

Motor movements, including movements of the eyes, arms, legs, and hands, provide
most of the perceptual information infants receive (Adolph and Berger 2006).

Young Children

As infants grow, their body fat and muscle mass are redistributed. In contrast to
newborns, toddlers’ bodies have a more cylindrical shape, and they have a larger ratio
of muscle mass to body fat, especially in the legs.

” These changes in weight, size, percentage of body fat, and muscle strength provide
perceptual/motor challenges to infants as they practice a variety of actions.

Gross Motor Development

Gross motor development includes the attainment of skills such as rolling over, sitting
up, crawling, walking, and running.

Gross motor behavior enables infants to move and thereby attain different and varied
perspectives on the environment.

Behaviors such as pulling to stand and climbing present children with new learning
opportunities. When infants push a toy stroller or shopping cart, they are also engaging
in processes related to cognitive development, such as imitation.

The gross motor behaviors involved in active outdoor play with other children are
related to children’s development of social skills and an understanding of social rules.
Kolej Teknologi Antarabangsa CyberneticsPage 7
 Physical Education in ECE: Topic 2

Fine Motor Development

Through touching, grasping, and manual manipulation, infants experience a sense of

agency and learn about the features of people, objects, and the environment.

Fine motor development is related to the ability to draw, write, and participate in routines
such as eating and dressing.

Common early childhood learning materials, such as pegboards, stacking rings,

stringing beads, and puzzles, offer opportunities for infants to practice their fine motor
skills.

Fine motor movements of the hands are coordinated with perceptual information
provided through movements of the eyes, as when seven- to nine-month-old infants use
visual information to orient their hands as they reach for an object.

Kolej Teknologi Antarabangsa CyberneticsPage 8

 Physical Education in ECE: Topic 2

Quick Tutorial

1. What is the motor development?

2. Explain briefly the motor development of infant and young children?

3. Give the meaning of this concept with example of activity:

a) Fine motor development

b) Gross motor development

Kolej Teknologi Antarabangsa CyberneticsPage 9