Controlled Movement

Your Child Putting His Movements to Work

Your child's confidence in his Controlled Movement abilities grows every day as his strength and stability improves. He's now able to do more complicated and creative movements, which you might see as he decides to show off his different dance moves. This is also a good time to ask your child to help with simple chores like putting away toys, wiping up spills, or clearing his dish from the table. In addition to letting him practice his movements, he'll feel useful as he contributes to the family. Your child might even enjoy trying out some sports skills at this age, such as tumbling, swimming, kicking, throwing, and bending and picking things up, especially if he sees friends or family members playing soccer, softball, or other sports activities. However, the Mayo Clinic doesn't recommend that you start your child in organized sports until he turns six years old. Instead, you can still help him build his foundations for sports by encouraging him to explore movements through free play.

Has your child achieved the following Controlled Movement developmental milestones yet? If yes, check off all the skill(s) he has already mastered to date!