Stages in the acquisition of dynamic balance
Before the age of 4, children must learn to direct their bodies in a given direction, gradually refining their skills by moving their 2 feet forward side by side.
By age 4, children can walk one foot in front of the other, alternating on a support at least a foot and a half wide.
By age 6, children are able to walk one foot in front of the other, heel to toe, on a support at least the width of their own foot.
Psychomotor development :
Children's psychomotor development is based on genetic, motor and psychological factors.
A product can have an influence on a child's psychomotor development if it acts in the motor domain.
This motor domain has several major components: body schema, dynamic
coordinations, balance, oculo-manual coordinations, fine motor skills and
temporal and spatial structuring.
Body schema
The body schema is the child's representation of his or her own body, enabling him or her to master gestures more precisely, to perceive his or her own body and, more generally, to develop self-awareness. It is
first built up from sensations and actions ("body felt, body acted"), before being represented and spoken of ("body represented", drawing of the bonhomme). The more children act, the more they refine their body schema, and the better they act in return.
Occulo-motor coordination
Oculo-manual coordination encompasses actions enabling the user to aim with all or part of
his or her body: for the youngest, following a trajectory, then aiming with large objects and
large targets, with hands, feet and then smaller and smaller targets, through to fine mastery of
digital dissociations: tapping, stringing beads, writing.
Temporo-spatial structuring
Temporo-spatial structuring includes everything to do with the child's bearings in time
(before/after, rhythmic activity, day/night, season, etc.) and space (in front/behind, over/under,
right/left, etc.).
