Knowing Various Types of Basic Motor Movements that Must Be Mastered Since Early Childhood

Illustration of basic locomotive motion (freepik)

YOGYAKARTA - Understanding the concept of basic locomotive movement is very important for children's physical development, because this ability becomes the main foundation in carrying out daily activities and more complex sports later.

With the right mastery of techniques, coordination and body balance will increase significantly. For that, let's explore more deeply about this movement variation to support the growth of your baby.

Quoted from the Journal of PAUD Agapedia, Vol.2 No. 1 June 2018, here VOI presents more in depth about the variations of locomotor movements to support the growth of your baby.

The Foundation of Children's Movement: Lokomotor, Non-Lokomotor, and Manipulative

At an early age, a child ideally masters three main motor skills, namely locomotion (moving), non-locomotion (moving in place), and manipulative (using objects).

However, the facts on the ground show that many children are still doing basic movements incorrectly, especially in simple movements such as walking, running, and jumping.

Based on research, many children are found to walk with the tips of their feet pointing outward or inward, as well as stepping on the ball of their feet. If this mistake is left, the wrong movement pattern will be carried over to adulthood and become a settled behavior.

Improvement of Motor Basal Movement in Children Improvement of Walking Technique

Walking is a natural movement, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need to be learned. Teachers and parents often assume that children can walk properly automatically, even though early education is very crucial, the following are the right walking signs:

Body Posture: Head erect, gaze straight ahead, and chest firm. This position helps the limbs move with an ideal angle and a longer step.

Why is the Straight Path Important?

Walking in a straight line helps the efficiency of the number of steps. As an illustration, if the toes deviate (outward or inward) by only 2 cm, in a distance of 100 meters the child can be 6 meters behind the supposed path. As a result, the child has to add about 18 extra steps which causes a waste of calories and energy inefficiency.

Also read the article discussing How to Know the Types of Skateboard Tricks for Beginners that Must Be Mastered

Running Technique for Speed and Endurance

The main difference between walking and running lies in the contact of the feet with the ground. When walking, there is always one foot that treads, while when running there is a floating phase where both feet do not touch the ground. So to support the ability to run in the future, children need to be taught the following things:

Running using the ball of the foot (front of the palm). Keeping the head upright and the upper body relaxed. Swinging the arms forward (not to the side). Breathing naturally according to the rhythm of the steps. Jumping with Focus on Landing Safety

Jumping is a crucial locomotor skill, but it has the risk of injury if the technique is wrong. For young children who are still in the growth period, it is highly recommended not to jump too high too often.

The key to jumping is a soft landing. Children should also be taught to bend their knees (knees) when landing to dampen the impact. The use of the tips of the feet when starting the push and landing is also highly recommended to maintain balance according to the principles of motion mechanics.

Thus, the role of teachers and parents is the key to children's success in mastering basic locomotor movements. By improving techniques from an early age, we not only help children move more agile, but also prevent energy inefficiency and the risk of long-term injury.