Motor development in the fourth to fifth year of life

Movement in Transition

Dexterity

In the 4th – 5th year of life your child makes enormous progress in motor development, which can be supported by a variety of activities. An important area is fine motor skills, which can be further improved by grasping small objects, drawing with colored pencils, or assembling puzzles. For example, children can train their finger dexterity and hand coordination by picking up small beads or snapping together Lego bricks.

As parents, we can promote our children’s fine motor development by giving them opportunities to work with different materials, such as finger paints, clay, or playdough. These activities require precise hand movements and help improve dexterity and skill.

Coordination

Regarding gross motor skills, your child in the 4th – 5th year can further develop movement coordination through activities like climbing, hopping, and jumping. On the playground they can improve their abilities by sliding, swinging, and balancing. While climbing they learn to coordinate their muscles and control posture, while hopping and jumping build endurance and balance.

Playing with balls is another great way to support motor development. Children learn complex movements like throwing, catching, and kicking, which improves hand-eye coordination and reaction ability. We should encourage our children more often to try different balls and help them learn different techniques.

Imagination

Creativity also plays an important role in motor development. Through crafting, painting, and creating with various materials, children can further develop their fine motor skills while also fostering their imagination and cognitive abilities. When painting with brushes or assembling puzzles, your child trains manual dexterity and improves eye-hand coordination.

Let your child be creative and give them the chance to realize their own ideas. By allowing our children to experiment with different materials and use their imagination, we as parents can support our children’s motor development in a playful and encouraging way.

What your child may be able to do motor-wise

Fine motor skills:

• Grasping small objects
• Drawing and coloring with colored pencils or other tools
• Assembling puzzles and construction toys

Gross motor skills:

• Climbing on play equipment
• Hopping and jumping
• Balancing on beams or other narrow surfaces
• Sliding on playgrounds
• Walking and running with increasing skill and stability

Eye-hand coordination:

• Throwing and catching balls
• Hitting targets with small balls or throwables
• Aiming and shooting with toys such as a ball or a blowpipe

Self-help skills:

• Putting on and taking off clothes, including buttons and zippers
• Using cutlery and other tools while eating
• Washing and drying hands

Play ideas that can promote the motor skills of children aged 4 – 5 years

Living room obstacle course

Set up an obstacle course in the living room made of cushions, chairs, and other safe items. Let your child climb over, under, and around the obstacles, hop, and balance to strengthen their gross motor skills.

Target practice with a soft ball

Set up a target, for example a box or a bucket, and let your child aim and throw a soft ball at it. This promotes hand-eye coordination and the gross motor skills involved in throwing.

Chalk drawings on the sidewalk

Take colorful chalk and go outside with your child. Let them draw large pictures or patterns, follow lines, or trace shapes. This activity promotes fine motor skills and creativity while the child is active outdoors.