As kids grow, their movements become more agile. Follow your child’s gross motor skill development from age 7 to 8.Gross motor skill development allows children to exercise their balance, coordination, and large muscles. These abilities will help your little one master certain movements, such as running, climbing, crawling, jumping, and throwing. Developing gross motor skills is also an important step towards developing fine motor skills.
Gross motor skills: 7–8 years old
At this age:
- Your child’s movements are more coordinated and flexible.
- They can play with a ball and throw it with strength and accuracy.
Remember that not all children develop the same skills at the same speed. The material on this website is for general information purposes only. If you’re concerned about your child’s development, speak with a doctor.
- They can catch a ball with one hand with greater ease.
- They can successfully throw a ball at a target.
- They can ride a bicycle without training wheels over longer distances.
- Their athletic skills are improving as their muscle strength and endurance continue to develop.
Over the next few months, your child will begin to do the following:
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Continue to hone the motor skills they’ve been developing over the years (e.g., moving towards a ball to catch it, biking over longer distances, improving their balance). They may also enjoy playing “little kid” games from time to time (a great way to strengthen various gross motor skills).
How can you help your child progress?
Your child is unique and will develop at their own pace. They have strengths and weaknesses and are becoming increasingly self-aware. You can help your child develop their gross motor skills with these simple everyday actions:
When your child practises outdoor activities during leisure time, | | they improve their physical endurance while releasing any stress that’s had a chance to build up during the day. |
When you go for bike rides with your child, | | they improve their balance and muscle strength while discovering the world around them. |
When you enter a family race with your child, such as a “1 km challenge,” | | they develop muscle strength and endurance and feel proud to take on a challenge with you. |
When you let your child choose a physical activity they enjoy, whether as a hobby or as part of an organized group, | | they develop their athletic ability as well as an interest in specific sports. |
When you practise winter sports with your child (e.g., sledding, skating, snowshoeing, skiing), | | they develop an interest in a variety of physical activities for every season. |
When you ask your child to help you come up with a choreography to accompany a particular song, | | they learn how to make exercise fun. |
| Scientific review: Sonya Côté and Andreia R. Malisia, occupational therapists
Research and copywriting: The Naître et grandir team
Updated: September 2021 |
Photo :GettyImages/LSOphoto
SourcesPlease note that hyperlinks to other websites are not updated regularly, and some may have changed since publication. It is therefore possible that a link may not be found. If a link is no longer valid, use search engines to find the relevant information. - Bouchard, Caroline, and Nathalie Fréchette. Le développement global de l’enfant de 6 à 12 ans en contextes éducatifs. Presses de l’Université du Québec, “Éducation à la petite enfance” collection, 2010, 580 pp.
- Duclos, Germain, et al. Besoins et défis des enfants : vivre en harmonie avec les enfants de 6 à 12 ans.Éditions Enfants Québec, 2009, 319 pp.
- Ferland, Francine. Le développement de l’enfant au quotidien : de 6 à 12 ans. Éditions du CHU Sainte-Justine, “Collection du CHU Sainte-Justine pour les parents,” 2014, 178 pp.
- Portail Enfance et Familles. “Étapes du développement.”www.portailenfance.ca
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