How Motor Skills help in academic achievements

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The relationship between motor skills and academic achievements has been a topic of research in the field of education since time immemorial. According to studies, a complex relationship exists between cognitive and motor skills development in infants and development of motor skills in early life leads to later success in math, science, reading and writing.

The Key Concept of Motor Skills:

Motor Skills are actions/activities that involves your child’s muscular movements. These skills are broadly divided into two types: Gross Motor Skills and Fine Motor Skills. Gross Motor Skills are the larger movements that a child makes with their arms, legs, feet or the entire body. For example, running, jumping, dancing, etc. which we popularly name as ‘physical exercise’. Whereas, Fine Motor Skills are the ones that involve precision movements of smaller muscles in the fingers, hands and forearms. For example, drawing within a confined space, lacing shoes, buttoning shirts etc.

Motor Skills and Academic Development:

In the process of child’s holistic development, Motor Skills are of prime importance. Gross Motor Skills help a child in strengthening of the heart and lungs, preventing weight gain, healthy bones, good posture which pump more oxygen to the brain and improve actual brain function by helping nerve cells to multiply, creating more connections for learning (Cotman, 2002; Ferris, 2007). On the other side, development of Fine Motor Skills help improve eye-hand coordination crucial for developing reaching and grasping, moving objects and using tools like crayons, pencils and scissors. These skills help the child to strengthen pincher grip which helps in drawing, writing and all activities that require using of fingers. Children with issues such as dysgraphia or dyspraxia have trouble with their Fine Motor Skills. 

How PICT ensures Motor Skills development in its learners:

At PICT, we understand the importance of development of Motor Skills in our young learners which is why we practice “learning by doing’. The time table has a perfect blend of “hands – on activities” in the classrooms along with gross physical activities in the playground. Throughout the instructional time at school, we challenge the large and small motor movements by reaching, grasping, rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, walking, climbing, throwing, catching, kicking, cooing and talking; whichever developmental stage your child happens to be.