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MOTOR
DEVELOPMENT
Group 1
What is PHYSICAL development?
- Physical development is one of the many
domains of infant and toddler development. It
relates to the growth and skill of development
in the body, including the brain, muscles, and
senses.
1. Prenatal Period:
Embryonic Stage (Weeks 3-8): The embryo develops
basic physical structures, including the neural tube,
heart, limbs, and facial features. The head is
disproportionately large compared to the rest of the
body.
- Fine motor skills involve use of smaller muscles, such as grasping, object
manipulation, or drawing.
1. Prenatal Period:
Embryonic Stage (Weeks 3-8): Basic movements begin as
the embryo develops primitive reflexes, such as twitching and
kicking.
Toddlerhood (1-3 years): Toddlers refine their gross motor skills, such as
walking, running, jumping, and climbing. Fine motor skills also improve,
allowing for activities like stacking blocks, scribbling, and feeding
themselves with utensils.
Preschool Years (3-6 years): Children further develop coordination,
balance, and control over their movements. They engage in more complex
activities like riding a tricycle, catching and throwing a ball, and drawing
shapes with more precision.
1. Biological Factors:
- Genetics: Genetic factors play a significant role in shaping an
individual's physical and psychological characteristics. Genetic
inheritance influences traits such as height, hair color, susceptibility to
diseases, and cognitive abilities.
- Prenatal Environment: The prenatal environment, including maternal
health, nutrition, exposure to toxins, and prenatal care, can impact fetal
development and influence outcomes such as birth weight, gestational
age, and neurological development.
2. Environmental Factors:
- Nutrition: Adequate nutrition is essential for healthy growth and
development. Malnutrition, both undernutrition and overnutrition, can
have adverse effects on physical growth, cognitive development, and
overall health.
4. Visual Stimulation
Using contrasting colors, mobiles, and toys with different shapes and
patterns can stimulate visual development and hand-eye coordination.
For example, hanging a black and white mobile above a crib can
capture an infant's attention and encourage visual tracking.
5. Outdoor Play
Allowing infants and toddlers to explore outdoor environments exposes
them to a variety of sensory experiences such as feeling different
textures underfoot, hearing natural sounds like birds chirping, and
seeing the changing colors of the sky and landscape. These
experiences support overall sensory development and motor skills.
6. Messy Play
Activities like finger painting, playing with water, sand, or playdough
offer opportunities for sensory exploration and fine motor skill
development. Children use their hands and fingers to manipulate
materials, strengthening muscles and improving coordination.
7. Sensory Toys and Equipment
Providing toys like textured balls, squeeze toys, or activity gyms with
hanging objects encourages reaching, grasping, and exploring different
sensations, promoting both sensory and motor development.
8 Gustatory Stimulation:
Gustatory stimulation involves introducing infants to different tastes and
flavors through breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, as well as introducing
age-appropriate solid foods during weaning. This helps infants develop
preferences for a variety of foods and textures and promotes healthy
eating habits.
9. Olfactory Stimulation:
Olfactory stimulation involves exposing infants to various smells and
scents to stimulate their sense of smell and promote sensory
exploration. This can include natural scents from flowers, fruits, and
herbs, as well as scented toys or objects.