FMS

Fundamental Motor Skills

What are Fundamental Motor Skills?

Fundamental motor skills are movements that have specific observable patterns. They include:

Locomotor skills such as running, jumping, hopping, galloping, rolling, leaping and dodging;

Manipulative skills such as throwing, catching, kicking, striking and trapping and

Stability skills such as balance, twisting, turning and bending.

A fundamental motor skill involves the basic elements of a particular movement. It does not emphasise the combining of a variety of fundamental motor skills into complex skills such as the layup in basketball or a gymnastics floor routine. Each fundamental motor skill is considered in relative isolation from the others.

Fundamental motor skills are part of a movement continuum that begins before birth and continues throughout life. With exposure to movement experiences the young child begins to learn fundamental motor skills that will be refined through practice, instruction and modelling. Children who master fundamental motor skills in the early primary years will be more likely to be active and enjoy a range of recreational and sporting activities.

It is optimal for children to have mastered the FMS before the age of 12.

The following diagram represents the development of motor skills until from birth to adulthood.

STAGE 1= REFLEXES AND REACTIONS

Examples: walking reflex, sucking, gripping

STAGE 2 = FUNDAMENTAL MOTOR SKILLS

Examples: run, skip, gallop, hop, jump, leap, slide, dodge

bounce, catch, throw, kick, strike, trap

balance, twist, turn, bend

____________SPORT SKILL PROFIENCY BARRIER_________________

STAGE 3 = TRANSITIONAL SPORTS SKILLS AND GAMES

Examples: Netta netball, Spikezone, Rookey hockey, Super 8’s cricket,

Goalkick soccer, Gymstar, Auskick, Joey league, AFL Recreational Football