Chinese Games That improve Motor Skills Development
Developing and improving motor skills is one of the most important aspects of a child’s growth. Not only will it help your child become more capable of doing complex or new activities, but they can also become more independent.
The Chinese have several toys and games that have been used for centuries to help children develop these skills; here are eight of the best Chinese games that will help your child improve their motor skills.
Importance of Motor Skills Development
Developing and sharpening motor skills is a necessary skill that so many of us may take for granted. If you have a son, wearing the right boys trainers and understanding how walking and running work will have a big impact on their athleticism when they are younger, for example.
Athleticism
When using the term athleticism, it doesn’t mean your child’s ability to run a 100m sprint; it is more about their ability to run, crawl, jump, roll, etc. As you get older, you forget the first time you had to run or the first time you jumped or climbed.
It isn’t as easy as it looks if you have never done it before, and playing games that encourage these actions will let your child develop the sense they need to be able to do these things without any problems.
Independence
Children with highly developed motor skills are more independent. This is because they don’t need their parents to put their shoes on, bathe, or feed them; they have the skills to do the job themselves.
Hand-Eye Coordination
When adults think of hand-eye coordination, they think about being able to hit a golf ball or something similar. For kids, it is about being able to write, catch, and do other simple things that many adults can do without thinking.
Improving motor skills makes these tasks much simpler to understand and do, as your child has better control over their body and its movements.
Increased Speed in Adapting to New Skills
A secondary benefit that is gained by improving motor skills is that you can adapt to new skills much more quicker and easier. This is especially true if your child is interested in art or sport, as they can learn new techniques quicker since they will be proficient with the base-level skills already.
Bamboo Dragonfly
The Bamboo Dragonfly is a simple yet entertaining toy used in China since the 4th Century. It is comprised of a small stick and usually a piece of bamboo or wood that has been shaped like the rotor of a helicopter.
Spinning it in one direction allows the Dragonfly to float into the air like it was flying. This toy requires hand-eye coordination, as not spinning it properly or hard enough will cause the Dragonfly to drop to the ground.
Kite
The kite is an ancient toy that two Chinese philosophers first created in the 5th Century. While their designs and shapes can vary, the skills needed to control them remain similar.
While it may seem that you need strength to control a kite, subtle movements and patience are required to keep it flying. Your child will learn how to use their hands, arms and fingers in a controlled manner, as sudden, jerking movements will make the kite crash.
Chinese Jump Rope
Chinese Jump Rope, or Elastic as it became known in the West, was first created in the 7th Century in China and made its way into the West in the 1960s. Played with three or more people, an elastic loop is put around the legs of two people who stand a distance apart, with the third being between them doing the jumping, like regular jump rope.
There are multiple game variations, but most contain needing to jump over both elastics, one at a time, or on them in a particular sequence. This tests motor skills more than regular jump rope as many times, each leg is doing something different, and patterns can vary substantially.
Badminton
Badminton is a great sport that is perfect for children of almost all ages. Considering it is played in a small playing area, the focus is more on reaching and hitting the shuttlecock than being able to cover a lot of ground.
It also requires knowledge of how to hit the shuttlecock and how it moves in the air, as its speed and trajectory can change constantly.
Shuttlecock
Speaking of shuttlecocks, the game shuttlecock uses a weighted shuttlecock that has a flat end that players kick. Similar to the more well-known game of Hacky Sack. Shuttlecock requires players to use their feet to keep them off the ground while passing it to each other.
It is also a game that can be played by yourself, as it can be similar to keep-ups, something you would usually do with a football.
Table Tennis
Finally, one of the most famous games in the world, table tennis is perfect for improving hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. The game relies heavily on your ability to process where the ball is going, as well as your ability to hit it back, so it lands on the very small playing surface.
It is also brilliant for improving reflexes, as the game can be played at quite intense speeds, and you can put so much spin and movement in the ball that it can be very hard to predict where it will go or what it will do after it bounces; it’s the perfect game for when your child becomes a bit older.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.