What is motor planning?

What is motor planning? Motor planning is the ability to create an idea, plan an action and execute that action. It is a complex process that requires cognitive thought, sensory input, and a motor action.

Motor planning is an essential skill that allows us to execute everyday tasks, from brushing our teeth to catching a ball. It involves the brain and muscles working together to plan and carry out a motor action in an organized sequence. This skill is not innate; rather, a child’s ability develops with time and practice. Children gradually learn how to motor plan, allowing them to complete complex tasks with increasing ease. For example, learning to walk starts with smaller milestones like rolling over and crawling before progressing to standing and walking.

Children use these skills to coordinate their body movements in everyday tasks, whether it’s fine motor tasks like tying shoelaces or gross motor activities like hopping, running, or climbing. When motor planning functions smoothly, children can perform these tasks efficiently, but difficulties can arise when the brain and muscles struggle to communicate effectively.

WHAT IS PRAXIS?

Motor planning, also referred to as praxis, is the ability to plan and execute non-habitual motor tasks. Praxis allows children to figure out what movements need to be done, how to organize them, and then carry them out in the correct sequence. The process involves feedback from the sensory systems—hearing, touch, and body awareness—to adjust movements as they are performed. Although many tasks seem automatic, small planning steps happen constantly, helping the child adjust and refine movements.

MOTOR PLANNING DIFFICULTIES WITH GROSS MOTOR SKILLS

Gross motor skills involve large body movements like jumping, running, and balancing. When poor motor planning skills are present, perhaps the child struggles to coordinate their body movements effectively. You might notice that a child who experiences motor planning difficulties:

  • Frequently trips or bumps into objects during daily activities
  • Has trouble catching a ball or maintaining balance while running
  • Appears clumsy during physical play or sports
  • Delayed reaction time
  • Sensory processing deficits
  • Struggles to learn new gross motor tasks, such as riding a bike

These difficulties can be linked to poor neural connections in the brain, making it harder for children to process and execute movements. While gross motor coordination is a common challenge for children with motor planning issues, the good news is that these skills can improve with targeted practice. A pediatric physical therapy evaluation may be helpful for children who have motor planning challenges.

MOTOR PLANNING PROBLEMS WITH FINE MOTOR SKILLS

Fine motor skills involve smaller, more precise movements of the hands, fingers, and wrists. Tasks like handwriting, buttoning a shirt, and tying shoelaces all require good motor planning. When a child has difficulties with fine motor planning, they may:

  • Hold a pencil improperly or write very slowly
  • Struggle with tasks like cutting paper or using zippers
  • Have messy or inconsistent handwriting
  • Take longer than peers to complete classroom tasks involving fine motor control

Children with fine motor planning difficulties might avoid tasks that involve writing, drawing, or crafting because they find them challenging. Support from occupational therapy can help children build these skills, making everyday tasks more manageable and enjoyable.

SPEECH SKILLS AND MOTOR PLANNING

Motor planning doesn’t just apply to body movements; it also plays a role in speech development. Speech requires precise coordination of the mouth, tongue, and facial muscles. Children with motor planning difficulties may struggle to form words correctly or speak clearly. They may hesitate or have difficulty organizing the muscles needed to produce sounds, leading to delayed or unclear speech.

A speech-language pathologist can evaluate and support children who show signs of motor planning difficulties with speech, helping them develop better control over the muscles involved in speaking.

EXAMPLES OF MOTOR PLANNING SKILLS AT SCHOOL

Motor planning plays a significant role in a child’s school day. Here are some examples of tasks that require motor planning skills:

  • Writing: Organizing the muscles in the hand to hold a pencil, form letters, and space them correctly on paper.
  • Playing on the playground: Navigating climbing structures or playing games like tag requires coordinating body movements.
  • Cutting paper: Using scissors with precision involves controlling hand muscles and maintaining a steady grasp.
  • Getting dressed for gym class: Buttoning or zipping clothing, tying shoelaces, and putting on shoes all require fine motor planning. Putting the clothes on in the correct order is also a motor planning skill.
  • Art projects: Tasks like painting, gluing, or coloring involve planning hand movements to achieve the desired result.
  • Sports: Kicking a ball, catching, or throwing requires coordination between eyes, hands, and body to complete the action successfully. Movement speed and decision making are also important.

HOW CAN YOU HELP CHILDREN DEVELOP MOTOR PLANNING SKILLS?

You can help your child improve motor planning skills in fun, engaging ways. Here are some strategies to try at home:

  1. Gross Motor Activities: Obstacle courses, jumping games, and balance challenges can strengthen motor planning for gross motor tasks. Encourage your child to participate in activities like climbing on playground equipment or hopping on one foot. These exercises not only improve coordination but also help build strength.
  2. Fine Motor Tasks: Puzzles, building blocks, and arts and crafts are excellent for practicing fine motor control. Provide opportunities for your child to cut paper, thread beads, or use play dough to improve dexterity and precision.
  3. Practice New Skills Gradually: Break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps. For example, if your child is learning to tie shoelaces, practice each part of the process individually until they feel confident.
  4. Use Verbal Instructions and Visual Aids: For tasks that require several steps, such as getting dressed or washing hands, visual aids like charts or checklists can help. Verbal instructions should be clear and broken down into small, simple steps.
  5. Games and Activities: Games like “Simon Says” or “Follow the Leader” are great for practicing motor planning. These activities encourage children to mimic movements and plan actions based on instructions.
  6. Sensory Activities: Incorporate activities that engage the sensory systems, such as playing with textures (e.g., sand or rice), to help with body awareness and coordination. The sensory feedback can help children better understand how their bodies are moving in space.

WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP

If you notice your child consistently struggling with motor planning skills, it may be time to seek professional help. Signs that your child could benefit from working with an occupational therapist or a physical therapist include:

  • Difficulty learning, executing, or completing a new task
  • Frequent clumsiness or accidents
  • Avoiding physical play or fine motor tasks, like drawing or writing
  • Challenges with timing and rhythm in movement
  • Trouble following verbal instructions for multi-step tasks

An occupational therapist can assess your child’s motor planning abilities and create a personalized treatment plan to help them build confidence and improve their motor skills. Physical therapists may also be involved, especially when gross motor skills are the primary concern. Teasing out motor planning deficits, cognitive skills and sensory processing issues, like sensory modulation difficulties or sensory defensiveness, can be challenging because all impact how a child moves, interacts with their environment to produce a motor output. Motor planning deficits often involve trouble organizing and executing movements, while sensory processing issues affect how the brain interprets sensory input, leading to difficulties with balance, coordination, or body awareness. For example, a child may appear clumsy due to motor planning problems, but in reality, they might be struggling to process sensory feedback like tactile input or spatial awareness. It’s essential to evaluate both motor and sensory systems carefully to understand the root of the difficulty.

MORE HELPFUL RESOURCES

For more information and activities to support motor planning skills, check out these resources:

Additionally, here are some motor planning activities you can try:

By creating a supportive environment and offering structured opportunities for practice, you can help your child improve their motor planning skills and build the confidence needed to tackle everyday tasks with success.

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