Coordination and Motor Skills in Children

Daniel Smit | APA Titled Paediatric Physiotherapist

How physiotherapy can support movement, confidence and everyday participation

Every child develops movement skills in their own way

Children learn to move, play and manage everyday tasks at different rates. If your child finds some movement skills harder, less coordinated or more tiring than expected, an assessment can help you understand what is getting in the way and what support may be useful. Physiotherapy focuses on practical goals that matter to your child and family.

A child may have difficulty with one skill and be confident in another. These differences do not, on their own, mean that a child has a developmental disorder.

What are coordination and motor skills

Motor skills are the movements we use to take part in everyday life. Gross motor skills use the larger muscles for actions such as sitting, walking, running, jumping, climbing, balancing and playing with a ball. Fine motor skills use the hands and fingers for tasks such as drawing, using cutlery, fastening clothes and handling classroom tools.

Coordination includes organising and timing movements, using both sides of the body together, adjusting balance and learning a new movement sequence. Some children also need more time or practice to work out how to begin and complete an unfamiliar task.

What might families notice

A child who is finding movement skills difficult may trip or bump into things often, find playground or ball skills challenging, take longer to learn tasks such as riding a bike or using stairs, or need extra help with dressing and classroom activities. A task may take a lot of effort, and the child may tire, become frustrated or avoid it.

These examples are not a checklist for diagnosis. Consider whether the difficulty is persistent, how it affects your child’s daily life, and what your child thinks about it. A child’s interests, strengths, environment and opportunities to practise all matter.

When to consider an assessment

You can seek advice if movement difficulties continue over time, affect play, sport, self-care or learning, or make it hard for your child to join in with activities they want to do. You do not need to wait for a diagnosis before asking for support.

Start with your GP, child and family health nurse or paediatrician. A physiotherapist can assess movement, balance, coordination and gross motor skills. An occupational therapist can assess hand skills and everyday tasks such as dressing, handwriting and using tools. These professionals may work together with your family, school or early learning service.

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD), sometimes called dyspraxia, is one possible explanation for ongoing motor difficulties. A diagnosis requires a broader assessment of motor skills and their effect on everyday activities, while also considering other possible explanations. It is not made from one observation or a single sign. Movement skills vary widely in children under five, so a DCD diagnosis may be difficult at this age; concerns can still be discussed and support can still begin. [1, 5, 6]

Seek timely medical advice if your child loses skills they had already gained, develops new weakness or a marked difference between sides, or has a sudden change in movement. [7]

How physiotherapy may help

Physiotherapy begins by listening to your concerns and learning what your child wants or needs to do. The physiotherapist may ask about development, health, daily routines and previous opportunities to practise, then observe movement through play and relevant tasks. Standardised motor assessments may be used when appropriate. The assessment is used to understand your child’s strengths and needs, not to define them by a score.

Support is individualised. It may include choosing a meaningful goal, practising the actual skill in manageable steps, adjusting the task to make it achievable, and gradually changing the challenge as your child learns. Examples include working towards confident stair use, joining a playground game, catching a ball or learning a new movement sequence. Strength, balance and other movement exercises may also be included when they relate to the child’s goals.

The family and child help choose priorities. With your permission, strategies can be shared with educators, teachers or other therapists so your child has consistent support in the places where the skill is needed. [1, 2]

Ideas to support movement at home

• Follow your child’s interests. Choose games and activities they enjoy, such as obstacle courses, playground play, dancing, ball games, drawing or helping with everyday jobs.
• Practise one useful skill at a time. Break it into small steps, show the movement, and give your child time to try it.
• Make the task achievable. Start with a larger ball, a lower step, a stable surface or fewer instructions, then adjust the challenge gradually.
• Notice effort and problem-solving. Avoid comparing your child with siblings or classmates; progress may look different from one skill to another.
• Keep practice positive and flexible. Short, regular opportunities can fit into play and routines. Pause or adapt the activity if your child is tired, uncomfortable or losing interest.

What current evidence tells us

For children with DCD, recent reviews find that motor-based interventions can improve measured motor skills and performance of activities. Practice focused on meaningful tasks is one supported approach. Evidence is less settled for longer-term effects on participation and psychosocial outcomes, and studies vary in the children included and the interventions used. This is why goals should be individual, functional and reviewed with the child and family. [3, 4]

The evidence does not mean every child needs therapy or that one approach suits everyone. An assessment can help decide whether physiotherapy, occupational therapy, medical review, environmental changes, or a combination would best support your child.

Download the coordination and motor skills in children handout (PDF)

References and further reading

Related resources and physiotherapy support

Explore Little Strides physiotherapy in Narre Warren. Selected appointments are available in Nunawading. View appointment and booking information or ask us about your needs.

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