What is motor planning or praxis?
Every time a new motor task is demonstrated and requested of a child, many sensory systems must work together to plan and execute that activity. Motor planning is the ability to understand, organize the necessary sequences, and carry out an unfamiliar task.
When a child is unable to interpret and organize the instructions, the child will approach the activity with hesitation and the tasks may appear uncoordinated or might not be fully completed. In school, the child may have difficulty learning new tasks in their gym class or may have challenges organizing their desks or backpacks. New tasks such as learning cursive writing, carrying a book bag or lunch tray while walking, or completing crafts, will prove to be difficult for the child. Many teacher and adults may incorrectly interpret this hesitation or poor follow-though, laziness or decreased motivation. Often the child is expending increased amounts of energy to finish a task, and this may produce increased amounts of anxiety for the child.
A child must first understand what is being asked of him. Verbal instructions should be kept simple and short and it may be helpful to use a visual demonstation or physical cues. Make sure to give the child enough time to process the information. Do not hurry them or show frustration in your voice or actions. Learning a new task may require the learning process to be broken down into several simple steps, repetition, and a lot of practice. Make sure the child feels successful at whatever level they are functioning at.
Motor planning or praxis is the next level of sensory integration that is imposed on a foundation of sensory registration and regulation, and sensory integration and body schema. Praxis is the ability to self- organize. It is the ability of the brain to conceive, organize, and carry out a sequence of unfamiliar actions.
Dyspraxia means a reduced ability to carry out non-learned movements, despite adequate motor and conceptual capacity. Praxis is believed to be a single function involving several basic processes. The first is ideation or generating an idea of how one might interact with the environment.
Next is the organization of a program of action that includes the correct sequence and timing of the steps involved. This is the process most accurately referred to as motor planning. The final process is the execution or the actual performance of a motor act.
EX: Riding a bike, playing baseball, roller skating........
ACTIVITES TO IMPROVE MOTOR PLANNING:
Simon says
Hullabolu game
Head, shoulder, knees and toes
jump rope
riding a bike, three wheeler
hop scotch
Crawling under objects, through objects, over objects, etc.
Statue game – quick change of positions
Obstacle course
Scooter board games
Kicking balloons or balls, soccer
Jenga
Jacks
Tetris
Connect Four
Pick-up Sticks
Card games
Mazes
Perfection
Building activities – legos, blocks, etc
Dancing- new dance moves
Red light, green light
Animal walks/crawls
Computer games
Household chores – setting the table, match/put away silverware, do dishes (as able), help with laundry (sorting, folding, matching socks), help with baking (measuring pouring, mixing, kneading and putting dough in/on pan)
What are Visual Perceptual Skills?