Early Motor Development
Type:
Duration:
30 minutes
Author:
Series:
Core Components of Early Child Development
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Overview
This course explores motor development as a foundation for learning, behavior, and social engagement in early childhood. Educators will gain a deep understanding of how gross and fine motor skills emerge, how they influence cognitive, language, and social-emotional development, and how to support diverse motor trajectories in inclusive classrooms. From reflexes in infancy to complex coordination in elementary years, the course highlights the neural, sensory, and environmental systems that shape motor growth. Participants will learn to recognize key developmental milestones, implement movement-based instructional strategies, and apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to make movement accessible to all students.
Learning objectives
- Understand the typical progression of motor development from birth through age eight, including the roles of gross and fine motor skills, reflexes, and neurobiological systems
- Examine how motor development is interconnected with cognitive, language, executive function, and self-regulation skills, and how variability in development can shape learning outcomes
- Apply practical strategies to support motor growth in diverse learners, including movement-based instruction, inclusive classroom adaptations, and early identification of motor challenges
Added on 8/20/2025 ·
Last updated on 8/20/2025