Locomotor Skills: basic but essential

Locomotor Skills
Every youngster Deserves to Master Them

If you watch your own child at play, keep a mental checklist as you observe their basic skills:

1.  Can they hand from a safe bar with both hands?
2.  Can they climb a ladder suing both hands and feet well?
3.  Can they hop, on one leg, for 15 seconds?
4.  Can they jump, using both feet/legs evenly, to an APART position and stop there, in balance?
5.  Can they roll, on the floor or grass, while keeping their body long and straight, like a log?
6.  With feet side-by-side, can they move forward, for three JUMPS and freeze then?
7.  Can they sit on the floor, supporting their body with hands on floor behind their 'bottoms' and lift both straight legs 24" [60 cm.] off the floor and HOLD for 3 seconds?

This short list is just a start for you to shift from nurturing parent to gentle guide as children play before your eyes.

The basic locomotor skills are those 'steps' that get us from 'here' to 'there'! These movements include:

•  Walking
•  Running
•  Hopping [one leg lifted-non-weight bearing]
•  Jumping [two legs in use]
•  Galloping: shoulders squared to the direction of motion: one foot forward constantly
•  Sliding: coordinated steps to 'side': one shoulder leads to one direction: feet close together, briefly, then 1 foot steps to side.
•  Leaping: 'air move' taking off from one foot and landing on the opposite foot.
•  Skipping: a combination of a step forward and a hop on that lead foot.

Next time you make time to get your youngsters to the playground or just out in the yard: watch for these movements and IF there are a few that need a few words of suggestion: Do it!