How I can help
Gross motor development
Movement is much more than sport: it is how children join in socially, build confidence and develop planning and coordination.
What you might notice
- Seems clumsy; bumps and trips more than expected
- Avoids climbing frames, ball games or outdoor play
- Difficulty learning new movements or movement sequences
- Tires quickly compared with peers
- A clear preference for quiet, seated play
Why this might be happening
Sometimes this is motor planning — knowing how to organise a new movement.
Sometimes it is a base of stability, core strength or body awareness.
And sometimes it is avoidance built up over time: when something doesn't work, children stop trying — and the gap widens.
What skills are involved
Balance and stability
The base for any confident movement.
Motor planning
Organising and carrying out a new movement sequence.
Coordination and timing
Linking whole-body movements at the right moment.
Body awareness
Knowing where the body is in space without looking.
How occupational therapy can help
- Building a movement base inside activity that is fun and appropriately challenging
- Creating experiences of success that rebuild confidence
- Guidance on suitable physical activity
- Referral to physiotherapy when that is the better fit
What Shira might assess
- Balance, stability and core strength
- Planning and executing movement sequences
- Bilateral coordination
- Participation and confidence in movement
When it's worth speaking to someone
- When avoiding movement is affecting social participation
- When motor difficulty persists and doesn't improve with experience
Worth saying
A single sign doesn't mean a child needs therapy. Children develop at different rates, and often this is entirely ordinary variation. The point of a conversation is to understand the picture, not to find a problem.
Not sure exactly what your child needs? You can start with a conversation.
You don't need to diagnose the difficulty yourself. You can simply describe what you're seeing, and we'll start from a shared understanding of whether an occupational therapy assessment or treatment is appropriate.