Chapter 4: Motor Development in preschoolers

Question 1

What are gross motor skills? List some examples

Answer 1

activities that require a high degree of coordination like biking, skiing and climbing ladders.

Question 2

What two aspects play a critical role in motor skill development?

Answer 2

1. Practice

2. Brain development

Question 3

What are the differences between boys and girls when it comes to motor skill development?

Answer 3

• boys have more muscle strength and overall higher activity level than girls
• girls have advantage on tasks that require limb coordination

– although genetics can play an important role, the environment like culture (toys for boys vs. toys for girls) can change the development of motor skills for children—

Question 4

What are fine motor skills? What is an example of one?

Answer 4

Fine motor skills involve using delicate and precise (smaller) body movements
- i.e using a spoon.

Handedness is an example of fine motor skill, and it is the preference of using one hand over the other.

Question 5

___% of people are right handed, and there are more ____ than girls that are left handed.

Answer 5

90% of people are right handed and theres more boys that are left handed as compared to girls

Question 6

When should toilet training start?

Answer 6

Should happen whenever the child feels ready to sit on the toilet. Child should be physically and emotionally ready

Question 7

What are 3 signs of readiness for toilet training?

Answer 7

1. Staying dry 2+ hours throughout the day
2. Waking up dry after naps
3. Regular/predictable bowel movements
   - also if child starts to say “I have to use the bathroom” thats a sign of readiness

Question 8

What is the general trend of toilet training in the past few decades?

Answer 8

it has been done later in childhood over the past few decades