gross motor skill
Whole-body movement ability
Gross motor skills are physical abilities involving the large muscles of the body—the legs, arms, and torso.
Walking, running, jumping, throwing, and climbing all require gross motor skills.
The term appears most often in discussions of child development, where gross motor skills are distinguished from fine motor skills like grasping small objects or writing.
Steadiness or amount owed
- agilityQuickness and ease
- timingArt of choosing moments
- postureBody position, alignment
- stabilityResistance to displacement
spatial awareness · body control · proprioception · rhythm · fluidity · reaction time · muscle control · weight shifting
Locomotion on foot
- runningSwift foot travel
- jumpingPropelling oneself airborne
- climbingAscending by physical effort
- crawlingMoving on hands, knees
throwing · catching · kicking · swimming · hopping · skipping · galloping · rolling
Notable points of progress
- maturationProcess of becoming complete
- progressionSequential forward movement
- early childhoodFirst years of life
- pediatricsMedicine for minors
physical therapy · occupational therapy · developmental delay · intervention · assessment · age-appropriate · neurodevelopmental · readiness
Moving on hands, knees
- sittingBeing in seated posture
- standingPosition, physical or social
- walkingLocomotion on foot
- rolling overRotating to another side
tummy time · head control · first steps · cruising · pulling up · toddling · reaching · scooting
Children's outdoor recreation space
- ball gamesCompetitions using spheres
- tagIdentifier or classifier
- hopscotchTossing and jumping game
- jump ropeCord swung underfoot
obstacle course · tricycle · scooter · swinging · climbing frame · sandbox · chase · roughhousing
balance
Steadiness or amount owed
stability · spatial awareness · body control · proprioception · rhythm · fluidity · reaction time · muscle control · weight shifting · sequencing
walking
Locomotion on foot
crawling · throwing · catching · kicking · swimming · hopping · skipping · galloping · rolling · balancing
milestones
Notable points of progress
- maturationProcess of becoming complete
- progressionSequential forward movement
- early childhoodFirst years of life
pediatrics · physical therapy · occupational therapy · developmental delay · intervention · assessment · age-appropriate · neurodevelopmental · readiness · sensorimotor
crawling
Moving on hands, knees
rolling over · tummy time · head control · first steps · cruising · pulling up · toddling · reaching · scooting · army crawl
playground
Children's outdoor recreation space
- ball gamesCompetitions using spheres
- tagIdentifier or classifier
- hopscotchTossing and jumping game
jump rope · obstacle course · tricycle · scooter · swinging · climbing frame · sandbox · chase · roughhousing · hide and seek
gross motor skillfine motor skill
Precise small-muscle coordination
dexterity · manual dexterity · hand-eye coordination · finger dexterity · precision grip
gross, motor, skill, grossly, grossness, grosser, grossest, motored, motoring