BODY DIMENSION IN CHILDREN: CHARACTERISTICS AND ACTIVITIES - ECONOMÍA - 2025

The body dimension in children is the part of their development related to movement, muscle control, and gross and fine motor skills. It is one of the most important areas of development, and one of the first to emerge from birth.

When a child is born, his movements are totally involuntary and uncontrolled. In fact, babies are not even aware of where the limits of their body are. However, practically from the first moment a process begins by which the bodily dimension and motor skills are forged.

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Much of the development that occurs in the first years of life is related in one way or another to the body dimension. Thus, babies first begin to make purposeful movements, although they still have practically no coordination. Over time, these become finer and more coordinated.

The body dimension in children is one of the most important, since it not only deals with the movement and control of the body's muscles; it also plays a fundamental role in the acquisition of skills such as speech, which in turn greatly influence brain development. In this article we will tell you everything about her.

characteristics

The body dimension in children is generally divided into two different and equally important aspects: fine motor skills, and gross motor skills. Next we will see what each one of them consists of.

Gross psychomotor skills

Gross motor skills are the skill sets used by large muscle groups. In general, these are actions in which it is necessary to use the arms, legs or the whole body. It usually begins to develop first, although the speed at which it does so varies from child to child.

Some of the skills comprised within the field of gross motor skills are standing upright, crawling, walking, running, or jumping. These are actions that require the coordination of the longest muscles of the body, and that generally imply great stability.

Children begin to develop their gross motor skills starting with the head and neck. Later, they begin to be able to control their trunk, and finally their arms and legs. As they get older, they are able to perform increasingly complex actions, such as jumping or climbing.

Fine motor skills

The other aspect of psychomotor skills is one that uses short muscles and requires great hand-eye coordination to perform.

It involves the movement of parts of the body such as the hands, fingers, tongue, lips, wrists, or feet; and it often requires very fine and precise actions.

Within the skills included in fine motor skills, we find all those that require the use of hands and fingers precisely.

For example, grasping objects or putting a spoon in the mouth are considered actions related to this area of ​​development.

On the other hand, skills such as speech also involve very slight and precise movements, so they could be considered part of fine motor skills.

This type of motor skills also begins to develop from birth, although children take longer to fully master it due to its complexity.

Importance

Psychomotor skills are one of the most important aspects of a child's development, and as such it is also one of the most commonly worked on in classrooms. But why is it so fundamental? Next we will see the main reasons.

Acquisition of control over the body

The body dimension in children is the main one responsible for them learning to perform all those actions that have to do with movement.

If psychomotor skills were not developed, children would not be able to control their muscles, which would prevent them, for example, from walking, speaking, holding objects or using tools.

In addition to this, the body dimension is also related to other skills such as balance, agility or flexibility, which are essential for full human development.

Despite the fact that in modern society we do not move as much as we should, children still have the instinct to use their bodies as much as possible.

On the other hand, most of the activities carried out on a day-to-day basis require the use of fine motor skills. For example writing, which is something that seems very simple to us once we learn to do it, is a very complex skill that requires the use of a multitude of muscles simultaneously and requires great brain effort.

Development of cognitive abilities

As if this were not enough, the development of the corporal dimension in children directly affects the acquisition of new mental capacities.

Today it is known that mastering skills such as gently holding objects, walking upright or speaking were key in the development of our brain at the species level.

Due to this, the more children strengthen their psychomotor skills, the earlier they will develop their intellectual capacities and the more they will be reinforced. It is essential, therefore, to stimulate your body size as much as possible through the use of activities for this purpose.

Activities to develop it

We have already seen why motor skills are so important for children's development, and how it affects both their control over their bodies and their mental abilities. However, many parents are not sure how to stimulate this important aspect of their children's growth.

The most appropriate activities to promote children's body size will depend on their age and their level. However, practically any action that leads them to move and become aware of their body and what they can do with it will be indicated.

Thus, when they are very young, something as simple as playing "clapping, clapping" with them can help to develop their gross motor skills. When they are older, forcing them to start walking, going up and down stairs, or encouraging them to jump and climb can be extremely beneficial for them.

In any case, the important thing is to be aware of how fundamental it is to develop the body dimension in children, and to do everything possible to help them do so. If you spend enough time with your children in this regard, their quality of life will increase enormously.

References

1. "The brain and the child's movement" in: Child Development. Retrieved on: January 27, 2019 from Child Development: Desarrolloinfantil.net.
2. "The importance of motor skills" in: Parents. Retrieved on: January 27, 2019 from Parents: parents.facilisimo.com.
3. "Infant motor skills in primary and secondary school" in: Innovating in Education. Retrieved on: January 27, 2019 from Innovating in Education: innovandoeneducacion.es.
4. "Fine and gross motor skills" in: Baby Radio. Retrieved on: January 27, 2019 from Baby Radio: babyradio.es.
5. "Development of gross motor skills and fine motor skills in children" at: Victoria Eugenia Hospital. Retrieved on: January 27, 2019 from Hospital Victoria Eugenia: hospitalveugenia.com.