Gross Motor Skill Development | Occupational Therapy Adelaide
Gross motor skills involve using large muscle groups for activities like running, jumping, and climbing. Difficulties in this area can affect posture, sports participation, and playground navigation. At Thrive Health Therapies, we help individuals build these skills to boost confidence, independence, and participation at home, school, and in social settings.
What are Gross Motor Skills?
Gross motor skills involve the use of large muscles in the body to perform everyday activities that require strength, balance, coordination, and body awareness. These skills are foundational for many aspects of daily life, enabling individuals to sit, stand, walk, run, and engage in recreational or physical activities.
Gross motor development typically begins in infancy and progresses as children grow. For example:
Infants: Rolling over, sitting up, and crawling.
Toddlers: Walking, climbing stairs, and pulling toys.
Preschoolers: Running, jumping, throwing, and catching.
School-age children: Participating in sports, riding a bike, and mastering more complex movements like skipping and balancing.
Each stage builds upon the previous one, with gross motor skills playing a key role in enabling children to explore and interact with their environment.
Why are Gross Motor Skills Important?
Gross motor skills are vital for physical, social, and emotional development. Here’s why they matter:
Physical Development Gross motor skills help children strengthen their muscles and improve their coordination. This lays the foundation for fine motor skills, which involve smaller movements like writing or buttoning clothes. Proper development of gross motor skills also supports posture and core stability, crucial for sitting at a desk or maintaining balance during activities.
Social Engagement Children with well-developed gross motor skills are more likely to participate in group activities such as sports, dancing, or playground games. These activities foster teamwork, communication, and friendships.
Independence Gross motor skills enable children to complete everyday tasks independently. Skills like climbing stairs, carrying objects, or playing on playground equipment contribute to self-reliance and confidence.
Health and Well-being Physical activity promotes overall health by improving cardiovascular fitness, strengthening muscles, and supporting mental health. Active children are more likely to enjoy exercise and maintain healthy habits into adulthood.
What Might Difficulties with Gross Motor Skills Look Like?
When a child struggles with gross motor skills, it can impact their ability to engage in physical activities and perform daily tasks. Signs of gross motor difficulties may include:
1. Delayed Milestones
Difficulty reaching developmental milestones such as crawling, walking, or jumping.
2. Poor Coordination and Balance
Trouble maintaining balance during activities like standing on one foot or walking on uneven surfaces.
Clumsiness, such as frequently tripping or bumping into objects.
3. Weak Core Strength
Slouching while sitting.
Difficulty sitting upright for extended periods.
4. Limited Endurance
Fatigue during physical activities that require sustained movement, such as running or climbing.
5. Avoidance of Physical Activities
Reluctance to participate in sports or playground games due to difficulty with motor planning or coordination.
6. Challenges with Specific Movements
Difficulty throwing, catching, or kicking a ball.
Struggles with tasks like riding a bike or skipping.
7. Impact on Other Areas
Reduced confidence in physical abilities, which can affect self-esteem and willingness to try new activities.
Difficulty participating in social or group settings, potentially leading to feelings of isolation.
How Do Occupational Therapists Help with Gross Motor Development?
Occupational therapists (OTs) play a crucial role in helping children develop and improve gross motor skills. At Thrive Health Therapies, our therapists use evidence-based strategies tailored to each child’s unique needs and goals. Here’s how our occupational therapists help:
Assessment and Goal Setting
Our first step is to assess the child’s current abilities and identify areas of difficulty. This may involve:
Observing movements and posture.
Evaluating strength, coordination, and balance.
Collaborating with parents, teachers, or caregivers to understand the child’s challenges in different settings.
From there, we work with families to set achievable goals that support the child’s development and daily life.
Targeted Interventions
Occupational therapists design interventions to improve specific skills, including:
Strengthening Exercises: Activities like crawling, climbing, or resistance-based play to build muscle strength and core stability.
Balance Training: Games like standing on one foot, walking along a line, or using balance beams to enhance stability.
Coordination Activities: Tasks such as throwing and catching, obstacle courses, or dance routines to improve motor planning and coordination.
Endurance Building: Gradual increases in physical activity duration to build stamina and energy levels.
Sensory Integration
For some children, gross motor difficulties are linked to sensory processing challenges. OTs may use sensory integration techniques to help children better understand and respond to sensory input, such as balance, movement, or body awareness.
Play-Based Therapy
Children learn best through play, so therapy sessions often incorporate fun and engaging activities. This might include:
Jumping on trampolines.
Navigating obstacle courses.
Participating in team games or creative movement exercises.
Adaptations and Strategies
To support children in their everyday environments, OTs may recommend:
Adaptive equipment, such as seating supports or modified tools.
Environmental modifications to create safe and accessible spaces for play and movement.
Strategies to help children break down complex tasks into manageable steps.
Parent and Caregiver Education
We believe in empowering families to support their child’s progress. OTs provide guidance on:
Home-based activities to encourage skill development.
Ways to incorporate movement into daily routines.
Encouraging positive reinforcement and celebrating achievements.
Collaboration with Other Professionals
Occupational therapists often work closely with physiotherapists, speech pathologists, and educators to provide a holistic approach to a child’s development. This ensures consistent support across all areas of the child’s life.
How We Deliver Occupational Therapy at Thrive Health Therapies
Thrive Health Therapies offers community-based, clinic-based, and telehealth occupational therapy.
Community-Based Services: We provide community-based occupational therapy in your home, school or kindergarten, or a location convenient to you throughout metropolitan Adelaide. Learn more about our service areas.
Clinic-Based Services: We provide clinic-based sessions at our Findon clinic.
Telehealth Services: We also offer comprehensive telehealth services, providing clients with convenient, video-based therapy consultations for those who may have difficulty travelling to our clinic or prefer the convenience of remote support.
Funding Options for Occupational Therapy
We accept a variety of funding options, making augmentative and alternative communication therapy accessible for everyone:
Private Health Insurance
Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plans (GP Team Care Arrangements)
Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA)
Why Choose Our Occupational Therapy Services?
No wait time: We can start working with paediatric or adult clients straight away!
Experienced: Our occupational therapists have extensive experience working with individuals of all ages.
Extensive Coverage in the community: We serve a large geographical area, providing occupational therapy services across all of metropolitan Adelaide from Gawler to Aldinga. We see clients at home, in their school or kindergarten, or at a location convenient to them.
Clinic space: Our Findon clinic has been specially designed to be appropriate for a wide range of presentations and disabilities.
Individualised care: Every client receives a personalised therapy plan based on their unique needs and goals.
Neuroaffirming Practice: We provide compassionate and affirming services to support and empower neurodiverse individuals.
Multi-Disciplinary Approach: We offer a wide range of allied health services under one roof, allowing for a holistic approach to your health.
NDIS Registered: We are proudly registered with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Home Care Package (HCP) and Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP): We accept a variety of funding options, helping our clients access the support they need.
LGBTQIA+ friendly: We celebrate, value and include people of all backgrounds, genders, and sexualities, Our Findon clinic is a welcoming, safe and inclusive space for all LGBTQIA+ people and families.
FAQs About Gross Motor Development
If you can’t find an answer to your question, please contact our friendly team on 0474 248 081 or email enquiries@thrivehealththerapies.com
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Gross motor skills involve the large muscles in the body that enable activities like walking, running, jumping, and sitting upright. These skills are essential for daily activities and physical development.
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Gross motor skills involve large muscle groups for broader movements, while fine motor skills use smaller muscles for precise actions, such as writing, buttoning, or cutting with scissors.
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Gross motor skills are vital for a child's physical development, balance, coordination, and overall independence. They form the foundation for everyday tasks, social activities, and sports participation.
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Activities may include:
Balance exercises, like walking on a balance beam.
Core-strengthening tasks, such as sit-ups or yoga poses.
Coordination games like hopscotch or catching a ball.
Obstacle courses to improve agility and problem-solving skills.
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Occupational therapy can help children of all ages, from toddlers who may be missing developmental milestones to school-aged children who struggle with coordination or sports participation.
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Signs may include:
Difficulty walking, running, or jumping.
Poor balance or frequent falling.
Trouble climbing stairs or using playground equipment.
Delayed milestones like crawling or standing.
If you're concerned, consult a healthcare professional or occupational therapist for an assessment.
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Occupational therapy helps children develop, improve, or regain gross motor skills by:
Designing individualised activities to build strength and coordination.
Improving balance and posture.
Encouraging participation in physical activities and games.
Using therapy equipment like trampolines, obstacle courses, and therapy balls.
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Yes! Here are some activities to try:
Playing games like Simon Says or Red Light, Green Light.
Encouraging outdoor play, like riding a bike or climbing.
Practicing simple yoga or stretching exercises.
Providing opportunities for swimming, running, or jumping.
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No! We can start working with new clients right away.
Once we have received a referral form with all of your details, we are able to book an Initial Assessment as soon as possible, depending on your availability.
You can find our paediatric referral forms here and our adult referral forms here.
If you have any questions prior to referring please reach out to us on 0474 248 081, via our online enquiry form or at or at enquiries@thrivehealththerapies.com.
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If you are funded through Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) or Chronic Disease Management (CDM) we need the appropriate referral documentation from your GP.
For all other funding sources you can refer yourself or your child directly via our online referral form, or reach out to us on 0474 248 081, via our online enquiry form or at enquiries@thrivehealththerapies.com.
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Referring is easy! You can find our paediatric referral forms here and our adult referral forms here.
If you have any questions prior to referring please reach out to us on 0474 248 081, via our online enquiry form or at enquiries@thrivehealththerapies.com.
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Yes! As a registered NDIS provider, Thrive Health Therapies meets rigorous NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators. We are passionately committed to upholding the NDIS Practice Standards, providing high-quality and safe supports and services for NDIS participants.
As a NDIS registered provider, we are also able to offer services to participants whose funds are managed by the NDIA.
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As a registered NDIS provider, interpreter services are available free of charge for NDIS participants. Please inform us if you require this service, and we will arrange this for you.
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We accept referrals from a wide range of funding sources, including the NDIS, home care packages, Department of Veterans Affairs, Chronic Disease Management (previously known as EPC) and private clients. Learn more about our accepted funding sources.
As a NDIS registered provider we are also able to accept participants who have chosen to have their funds managed by NDIA.
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Prices vary between services. Our therapists work with you to ensure you get the best program of services within your budget allocation.
Please contact us for a personalised quote.
Your Trusted NDIS Registered Provider in Adelaide
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding for individuals with permanent and significant disabilities. As a registered NDIS provider in Adelaide, Thrive Health Therapies meets rigorous NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators. We are passionately committed to upholding the NDIS Practice Standards, providing high-quality and safe supports and services for NDIS participants. As a NDIS registered provider, we offer services to participants whose funds are managed by the NDIA.
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