Development in Early Elementary

Motor Development: How Development in the Early Childhood Years Affects Development in the Elementary School Years¹

The development of more complex skills is not possible without the development of earlier, less complex skills. For example:

• For children, fine motor skills include holding pencils and crayons, eating with utensils properly, tying shoe laces and playing the piano.
• Activities that require gross/ large motor skills and that impact on other skills and activities  include the following:
  • Moving around the school, up and downstairs
  • Participating in PE (Physical education class) and in school sports
  • Play and socializing at recess and lunch hours
• For grown-ups, fine motor skills include being able sign one’s name, pour coffee, shell a hard-boiled egg and unwrap and eat a burger.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

As an adult think of what the eye/hand coordination you need in order to get a simple cup of coffee from a coffee shop:

1 see References