Why study Motor Development?Contributes to our general knowledge of

understanding ourselves and the world we live in.

Helps individuals perfect or improve their movement performance potential by providing developmentally appropriate activities.

Why study Motor Development?Understanding human development across

the lifespan helps us to diagnose problems in humans who do not develop normally.

One can compare “normal” to special populations to recognize coordination problems, trends, and gains.

Motor Development is:Continuous – lifespan progression &

regressionSequential - Predictable & DirectionalQualitative – skills become more refined &

precise

Motor Development is:Individual – rate varies based on

environment, movement opportunities and maturation but sequence is generally the same

Multifaceted – no one thing creates the change; i.e. combination of physical, environment, opportunities for exploration, the task itself, the individual

Multifaceted continuedFor example, a child’s brain has to be mature

enough (ready) to walk, the bones and muscles in the legs have to be strong enough to support the bodies weight, and the environment has to be such that the child has space to walk and opportunity to walk.

MaturationDevelopment depends on maturation &

learningMaturation refers to the sequential

characteristic of biological growth and development.

Biological growth is physical

MaturationBiological development is change that occurs

in sequential order; children acquire new abilities (crawl, reach, talk, walk, roll over, etc.)

These biological & physical changes help improve thinking (cognitive) & motor (physical) skills

MaturationChildren must mature to a certain point to

acquire new skills; i.e. readiness.Examples:

A five-month-old cannot use language because the infant's brain has not matured enough to allow the child to talk. However, by age two, the brain has developed enough for the child to say & understand words.

A child cannot draw or write until the child has developed the motor control to hold the crayon or pencil.

Maturation & Growth

Maturational patterns are innate, that is, genetically programmed.

Providing a stimulating environment and varied experiences for children allows them to explore and learn. That environment will largely determine the child reaching her or his full potential.

MilestonesReaching milestones indicates (is a sign of)

development- Reaching develops to grasping with thumb &

forefinger- Rolling from back to front enables crawling- Sitting up before lifting self up to legs- Crawling evolves to walking upright- Walking first then walking up or down stairs- Speaking first word- Skipping

How do we Measure Progress in Motor Development?

Appearance of new skillsRefinement in movement processImprovement in movement productAcquisition of skill combinationsImproved adaptation to the environment

Why Develop./ Appropriate?Development has become associated with the

type and quality of experiences we pass through in life.

If these experiences are developmentally appropriate in early childhood, exercise program, rehab, or learning of motor or sport skills it will assure that the child will develop normally.

Developmentally AppropriatePerspectiveKnowing predictable sequences of growth and

development through which most children pass.Knowledge of sequences provides a basis from

whichwe provide the best instructional experiences for

studentsAccepts child at his/her stage of development -

Individually appropriate (think of an experienced player vs novice – each has different needs)