The first two years of your child’s life are known as the sensorimotor stage. Your child needs to move his body and actively interact with his environment. Try to limit TV, electronic time, and other passive media sources. Interact with your child physically by playing games like kicking and throwing a ball together.
In addition to those five senses there are two more senses that are associated specifically with movement. They are spatial sense and balance sense.
Spatial sense lets your child know where his body is in relation to things around him. This sense can be observed when you see your toddler turn around and sit in a chair without falling down. It also contributes to your toddler’s coordination skills. Without spatial sense, your toddler would be clumsy during movements and would move like a robot.
Balance sense is the movement of one part of the body while the rest stays in one place (lifting up one leg). Your child will stumble and fall sometimes; however, you should not see a pattern of this.
Pushing, pulling, twisting, turning, sitting, and rising are examples of the type of movements that develop balance and coordination skills in your toddler. Encourage your child to use all of his senses to develop his motor skills by joining in the experience with him. Play games that require your child to listen and have physical contact with objects. Remember: What your child learns today will support his developmental successes in the future.
