This is the second of two articles on important early childhood milestones; the first focused on language, social and fine motor development.

Supporting your infant’s movement such as crawling, sitting and walking during their first 12 or so months of life helps them reach essential physical milestones while at the same time, gives their brain development a boost.

“When a child is able to move and explore their environment, they are given more opportunities to learn, which improves their cognitive development,” said Erika Barger, a physical therapist at UCHealth SportsMed Pediatric Therapy Clinic in Steamboat Springs.

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Gross motor skills involve large muscle groups that create those camera-ready moments that parents love to capture, such as crawling, sitting and walking. In comparison, fine motor skills involve smaller muscle groups that use specific and precise movements to grasp objects or pick up small bits of food.

Why are gross motor skills so important?

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“They contribute to a child’s physical development, mobility, posture, balance, coordination and independence,” Barger said. “Independent mobility is essential for children to participate in everyday physical activities as they get older such as crawling, walking, jumping and skipping.”

What are gross motor milestones?

Gross motor milestones are skills involving the arms, legs and trunk that children typically develop at a specific age from infancy through adolescence, such as jumping, skipping and running.

The milestones are not deadlines, but signs of typical development.

“Every child develops and grows differently,” said Barger.

While some gross motor delays are caused by prematurity, genetic conditions, or other brain or muscle disorders, lack of opportunity for movement or insufficient “tummy time” can be a cause as well.

“Tummy time is essential,” said Barger, adding that an hour per day is recommended for babies beginning at about three months of age. “Along with tummy time, play with your child in different positions such as side lying and supported sitting.”

Typical gross motor developmental skills

As a child grows, there are a number of skills that are considered gross motor milestones.

Birth-2 months:

• Raises head when on tummy.
• Turns head to both sides when on back.
• Kicks both legs and arms equally while on back.
• Opens hands briefly.

3-5 months:

• Raises head in line with trunk when pulled to sit.
• Pushes up on forearms while on belly.
• Rolls from side to side.
• Begins to roll from belly to back.

6-8 months:

• Pivots around when on belly.
• Pushes up with straight arms when on tummy.
• Sits alone.
• Begins to “army crawl,” or use arms to move themselves forward.
• Rolls from back to belly and belly to back.

9-11 months:

• Begins to crawl on hands and knees.
• Cruises around furniture.
• Pulls to standing position.
• Stands alone for a few seconds.

12-15 months:

• Able to stand without support.
• Walks independently without support.
• Crawls up on a chair or other furniture.
• Runs.

Barger noted that while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed crawling from its most recent milestone checklist, pediatric physical therapists believe crawling is essential for improving core, neck, shoulder, hand and hip strength, as well as improving body awareness, bilateral coordination, vision, sensory input and developing motor planning skills.

“As movement experts, we strongly emphasize the importance of hands and knees crawling for independent mobility and gross motor development,” she said.

Supporting your child’s development

In order to support your child’s gross motor skill development, Barger suggests limiting time in car seats, strollers, bouncer seats or rockers to no more than 30 minutes per day. Instead, create a safe space on the floor for your baby to play, move and explore. If you notice your child has a three-month or more gross motor delay, consult your child’s pediatrician or primary care provider to determine if the cause is may be due to a serious health condition.

Pediatric physical therapists can assess development with the use of standardized gross motor assessments and then create a specific plan of care for your child, including exercises to improve strength and mobility.

“The sooner your child gets help, the better outcome your child will have from preventing more developmental delays,” said Barger.

Mary Gay Broderick writes for UCHealth. She can be reached at marygaybroderick@comcast.net.