Physical Skills

A young child’s physical growth first begins as muscles gain strength followed by gradually developing coordination. The development of muscular control is the first step in this process.

Physical development provides children with the abilities they need to explore and interact with the world around them. A young child’s physical growth first begins as muscles gain strength followed by gradually developing coordination. The development of muscular control is the first step in this process.

As children grow, you can notice dramatic changes in the amount and type of physical activity displayed. Infants spend the first days of life sleeping and eating. However, as they become toddlers, they move from crawling to walking and eventually being more independent and running around. The way children are held and handled, the toys they play with, and their environment all influence their physical skill development.

At this age, your 2-year-old’s will get creative and start to explore different ways to get from one place to the other such as rolling, crawling, walking, running, jumping and climbing. He can also kick a small ball forward, catch a rolled ball and throw a ball overhand (but with little accuracy). Although he might still fall frequently, his balance is more consistent than it was previously. Activities that can help in your 2 year old’s Physical skill development:

• Play a game of running after your child and attempting to catch him. Use familiar phrases like “I’m going to catch you” so that he understands the concept of the game.
• Talk to your child about different animals and how they move. You can then imitate different animals such as hopping like a bunny or crawling like a bear.
• Sit on the floor facing your child and roll a ball back and forth. When he masters this activity, challenge him by throwing the ball slightly making it bounce softly before reaching him.
• Blow bubbles using a soap bubble maker and encourage your toddler to jump and catch them.