It plays a critical role in children’s development, their health and well-being. An important part of this development process is the acquisition of balance and coordination skills. Learning more about this topic and how we can support children’s healthy development can help children be successful and healthy in their future lives.
Balance is defined as the ability to keep one’s body stable. Correctly distributing body weight and maintaining balance is critical to preventing falls and injuries in daily life. Coordination is the process of planning and executing movements by working effectively with the brain and body. These two skills are the basic abilities that children need when playing games, playing sports, learning at school, and managing their daily lives.
Balance and coordination skills begin to develop from birth. Each age period provides important information about how advanced the child is developing these skills.
Here is some basic information to help you understand the development of these skills:
- 0-3 Months: During this period, babies can lift their heads slightly and move their arms and legs. When supported, they can hold their head for short periods of time.
- 3-6 Months: Babies become more skilled at lifting their heads and chests. They can roll over and sit with support for the first time.
- 6-9 Months:Babies can roll from front to back or vice versa, begin to sit without support, and begin to reach for objects.
- 9-12 Months:During this period, babies can sit alone, stand for short periods of time, and transfer objects from one hand to another.
- 12-18 Months:During this period, babies can manage sliding toys, pick up the toy without bending down, and begin to walk independently.
- 18-24 Months:During this period, babies can go up and down stairs with support, squat and stand up, jump without falling, and get on and off the sofa or chair on their own.
- 24-36 Months:During this age period, babies can climb playground equipment, go up and down stairs without support, learn to ride a bicycle and dance.
- 36-48 Months:During this period, babies can ride a tricycle, improve their ball catching and throwing skills, their jumping abilities increase and they can perform more complex movements.
Understanding how children’s balance and coordination skills develop is a critical step so we can better support them. Every child develops at a different pace, so their individual needs and interests should be taken into account.
Games, sports and physical activities can help children improve their balance and coordination skills. It is also important to have regular health check-ups while monitoring your children’s development. This way, you can be sure that your children grow up healthy.
