Tag Archives: motor skills

The Baby Blog Week in Review for December 23-29

It’s been crazy this month here in the Baby Blog and we haven’t always been as on top of things as I would have liked to be. We’ll be making some changes here in January in order to bring you the best we can on time and every day. In the meanwhile, let’s take a look at our last week here in December of 2006 as we get ready to welcome the Baby New Year. Saturday, December 23 In The Women in Our Lives and The Men in Our Lives we looked at the fact that we need the men … Continue reading →

10 Benefits of Playing Sports

Playing sports offers children more than just physical benefits. Sports typically help kids academically and socially as well. The benefits are the same whether or not your child actually excels at the sport. Although if they are really good they will probably want to continue playing when they are older. If your child isn’t good enough to play competitively on a school team try signing them up for a city league or encourage them to just go shoot some hoops with their friends or church group. Read on for ten ways playing sports and can benefit your child. 10 Ways … Continue reading →

Thanks for the MOTOR Memories

What on earth are “motor memories,” you ask? Motor memories are physical tasks that your brain has memorized by feel. For example, we’ve all heard that once you learn to ride a bike, you never forget how to do it. That’s because once you’ve become accustomed to balancing the wheels, sitting upright on the seat, adjusting the speed of the petals, etc., you have created a motor memory. The brain sort of “takes over” and you can ride a bike without having to think about it. Operating on Autopilot Even driving a car involves motor memory in some respects. Experienced … Continue reading →

Play Dates – Not Just For Your Toddler

You may not be thinking about play dates for your infant or toddlers, but playtime is especially important for all children and not just the older ones. What most first time parents don’t recognize (at least not at first) is that playtime for your baby is a time of ‘work’ – they are not just playing. They are learning about the world around them. They are testing new skills. They are practicing old skills. They are interacting with their environment and they are exploring the depths of their own imagination. When you play with your baby, you are teaching them … Continue reading →

Shape Your Baby Toys

A classic toddler favorite for your baby is shape sorters. What makes a shape sorter such a great toy and favorite of babies is that they are a challenge. The baby has to manipulate the pieces with their fingers and fit them through the right holes in the top of the sorter. When they play with a shape sorter, they can learn to categorize the different types of shapes and over time they will even begin to name the shapes. When is the right time to add a shape sorter to your baby’s playtime activities? My daughter got her first … Continue reading →

Grasping at Everything

When it comes to marking down milestones in your baby book – one that is often overlooked is one that has to do with grasping. Remember the first time you felt your little one’s fingers close around just one of yours? It is a treasured moment for mothers, fathers, grandmothers and relatives. In the first few weeks, until about the age of 2 months, grasping is simply a reflex action that begins to fade away. The constant clenching relaxes into open hands that begin to explore the world around them. They begin by grasping at their blankets, at hair and … Continue reading →

Evaluate Your Child’s Motor Abilities: Take This Quiz!

It’s easy to tell when a child has major problems with muscle tone or coordination. Yet it’s possible for children to have problems with muscle tone which are more subtle. When we’re focused on cognitive abilities, we might miss motor problems in our child which need attention. Observe your child in these scenarios, and ask yourself these questions: Gross Motor Ability 1. When my child hugs me, he feels: a) like he’s using upper body strength to squeeze me back. b) somewhat flaccid without much grasp. c) rigid and stiff, with his muscles seeming a little tight. 2. If I … Continue reading →