The Importance of Foundational Motor Skills in Education

September 9, 2024

In recent years, Australian educators have observed a concerning trend: children are entering school with increasingly underdeveloped motor skills. This issue has significant implications for their overall development and academic success. As teachers, it's crucial that we understand and address this challenge head-on.

The Current Issue

Research from Australia has revealed some startling findings:

Almost one in four preschool children in low-income communities are delayed or at risk of fine motor delay
There are notable gender differences in fundamental movement skills (FMS) among preschoolers, with girls generally excelling in locomotor skills and boys in object control skills
Low levels of FMS mastery have been observed in primary school children, indicating a need for earlier intervention

These findings highlight the importance of focusing on foundational motor skills in early childhood education.

The Research

A study conducted in Sydney, Australia, assessed the fundamental movement skills of 425 preschool children.

The results showed:

Girls had higher total locomotor scores compared to boys.
Boys had higher total and individual object control scores compared to girls, except for catching.
The prevalence of skill mastery differed across various fundamental movement skills.

This research underscores the need for structured opportunities to facilitate children's acquisition of FMS, potentially including gender-separated activities to address different skill levels.

The Lesson: Improving Motor Skills with Simple Activities

As educators, we can make a significant impact by incorporating simple, targeted activities into our daily routines. Here's a lesson idea using just paper and masking tape:

Activity: "Trace and Toss"

Objective: To improve fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness.

Materials: Paper, masking tape, small balls or beanbags.

Steps:

Use masking tape to create a curved line on the floor.
Have children trace the line with their finger, encouraging them to cross their body's midline.
Next, have them walk along the line, balancing carefully.
Place paper targets at various points along the line.
Children then toss a small ball or beanbag at the targets while standing on the line.

This activity incorporates several key skills:

Fine motor control (tracing the line)
Gross motor skills and balance (walking the line)
Crossing the midline (tracing and walking a curved line)
Hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness (tossing at targets)

By integrating activities like this into daily routines, we can help children develop crucial foundational skills. Remember, these skills are not just important for physical development, but also play a vital role in cognitive functions like attention, focus, and even reading and writing.

As educators, it's our responsibility to prioritize these foundational skills. By doing so, we're not just preparing children for academic success, but setting them up for a lifetime of confident, capable movement and learning.