What Research Suggests• Movement• Motion• Balance

are needed for young children to develop good gross motor skills.

Gross motor skills develop before fine motor skills.

How do we help children develop Gross Motor Skills

• Vestibular Sense

• Climbing• Rocking• Spinning • Swinging• Side to side• Sliding• Running

Vestibular (inner ear) System

• The vestibular system helps children control their equilibrium, balance, and orientation to upright (sitting, standing, kneeling, jumping, running, etc.)

• Studies show that rocking, spinning and other physical movements through space, help children’s brain development and their ability to pay attention, by stimulating the vestibular system.

• When children's bodies get lots of motion through space (swinging, spinning, etc.) it actually helps their senses work better.

Good Balance

• Helps you keep your balance• Helps you to know how you fit into

space (proprioceptors).• Allows you to stay still while sitting,

standing or lying down.• Helps to develop eye movement and

visual-motor movement• Supported by strong core back and

stomach muscles.

Rock Wall

Climbing • Climbing helps to build neural pathways which teach the

muscles and brain to work together to use both sides of their body at the same time.

• When children climb, the brain tells the right and left foot to move together, and the left hand and right hand to move together. When children climb their eyes and brain work together to learn where to grasp and hold; as well as where to put their feet and knees.

• The ability to use alternate hands and feet is important for developing spacial awareness.

• Strengthen of core, hip, ankle and well as upper body strength and grip.

Steps and Ladder

• Steps help with cross lateral movement of arms and legs. Helps with balance, and proprioceptors so body knows where it is in space. • Many kindergarteners are fluent going up stairs

using alternate feet, but some are still developing the skill to securely go down stairs.

• Ladders help with bilateral movement like the climbing wall, as well as helps to develop proprioceptors when going down.

The Buckle Bridge is a good piece of equipment to help develop balance, equilibrium, and proprioceptors, which enhances one’s awareness in space.

It is also a piece that encourages imaginative play.

Kid Force Spinner

Daisy Spinner

Child sits securely in the sits. Seat begins moving with a rocking motion. The child’s own weight and momentum, allows the children can spin these unique seats in 360° circle.

Although older children can use this spinner it is ideal for younger children and children with an under developed vestibular sense. The child sits on and moves with their feet or lay on the tummy and spin that way. This will improve a child strength, coordination and balance while developing kinesthetic awareness.

Kid Spinner

Challenges children to utilize their strength, coordination and balance to create motion

One or two children

Fierce Cyclone

• Helps with the development of kinesthetic awareness as well as focus on proper posture.

• Develops strength and coordination; development of proprioceptors.

• Poles can be used to support the back or just to hold on to.

• Up to 3 children.

4 Seat Rocker

Can be used with 2 or 4 children. Focus is on developing leg strength, coordination, and balance.The up and down movement helps to again develop the vestibular sense. Can be used with 2 or 4 children. Promotes team workwhen used with 4 children,

P3

Tire Swing

Where would the Lower Elementary Playground be Located?