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A List of Large-Motor Skills for Toddlers

Toddlers are at a pivotal point in their development, as they are just starting to learn to use their limbs and move body parts. These skills are known as large, or gross, motor skills, and each one is important to the physical development of the toddler.

  1. Body Awareness

    • Body awareness deals with a child's posture and control over his limbs. A ball is good for developing this motor skills. Encourage the child to kick the ball in order to develop his legs, or play catch to help with arm awareness.

    Balance

    • Balance refers to the child's ability to maintain equilibrium, which is key to learning how to walk and perform other basic tasks. You can develop this motor skill by having the child walk toward you from a distance or helping her ride around on a tricycle.

    Crossing of the Midline

    • The midline refers to the imaginary vertical line that separates the right half of the body from the left half. Crossing the midline refers to bringing a hand from one side of the body to the other. Babies usually will pick up an item, bring it to the center of the body and then pick it up with the other hand, avoiding crossing the midline. You can develop this skill in your toddler with activities that have him using big swooshing motions, such as painting on a large canvas.

    Lateral Movement

    • Lateral movement refers to the toddler's awareness of the left and right sides of the body. To develop this motor skill, have her sit on the floor and instruct her to move certain limbs on either the left or right side.

    Muscle Coordination

    • Muscle coordination refers to the child's muscle development and toning. Have him do physically demanding activities, such as galloping around like a horse or imitating other animals, such as a duck or a rabbit.

    Spatial Cognizance

    • Spatial cognizance is a child's awareness of where his body is in a certain area and in relation to other objects or people in the vicinity. A good exercise to develop this skill is to place the child near her bed and ask her to stand on top of it, next to it, or at other spots.

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