Movement or motor planning

Motor planning is how we think about moving, plan how to do it, and then make the movement.

We use motor planning for everything! From walking around objects, picking up items, to throwing, drawing, writing, getting dressed, and even dodging balls.

What you might see

Children may:

• have trouble moving smoothly
• find it hard to do things in the right order
• struggle to catch a ball
• trip, fall, or bump into things often
• find building activities difficult
• have trouble with handwriting and cutting with scissors
• have problems dressing themselves
• need more practice to learn new skills than their friends
• find it hard to copy movements.

Ideas and tips

• Ask the child what they are going to do and how they will do it. Show them and tell them how to do it.
• Encourage the child to say what they are doing while they do it.
• Give one instruction at a time. After they finish one action, give the next one.
• Make a checklist of steps to mark off as they complete each one.
• Practice what the child has learned often.
• Help the child move through the action correctly, like holding their hand and guiding them.
• Use signals like two whistles to mean stop, or a red dot to mean stop.
• Play ‘Simon Says’ and copy different positions like squat, star, tall pencil, balance on one leg, or teapot pose.
• Create obstacle courses that involve crawling, climbing, and weaving.
• Do art projects that need putting parts together. This helps children plan and organise parts. Praise them a lot for their creations.

Last reviewed February 2026