Movement and Body Skills

Hand Preference in Babies: What Is Normal

Hand Preference in Babies: What Is Normal

What hand preference means in infancy Hand preference, or laterality, refers to a tendency to use one hand more often or more effectively for a particular task. In older children and adults, this may be obvious across writing, throwing, eating, and other skilled activities. In babies, however, the concept is less fixed. An infant may […]

Using Both Sides of the Body During Baby Development

Using Both Sides of the Body During Baby Development

What bilateral coordination means Bilateral coordination is the ability to use the two sides of the body together, either in similar ways or in complementary roles. A baby may stabilize a soft block with one hand while exploring it with the other, bring both hands together at the chest, or shift weight between the arms […]

Balance Development Before Standing and Walking

Balance Development Before Standing and Walking

Balance Begins Before Upright Postures Balance control develops long before a baby pulls to stand. During early infancy, the developing brain and spinal cord gradually learn to coordinate head position, trunk stability, and limb movement against gravity. Tummy time and varied floor positions provide opportunities to strengthen the cervical, thoracic, and abdominal musculature while helping […]

How babies gain muscle control

How babies gain muscle control

Muscle control is a neuromuscular achievement At birth, a baby has muscles, but the neural control of those muscles is immature. Muscle contraction depends on signals traveling from the brain and spinal cord through motor nerves to neuromuscular junctions, where nerves communicate with muscle fibers. In early life, these pathways are still being refined. The […]

Core Strength and Posture Development

Core Strength and Posture Development

What Core Strength Means in Infancy In infancy, core strength refers to the coordinated activity of muscles and connective tissues around the trunk, pelvis, spine, and shoulder girdle. It is not simply the ability to produce force. Effective postural control requires anticipatory and reactive adjustments: the baby stabilizes the trunk while moving the head, reaching […]

When babies start lifting head

When babies start lifting head

The usual timeline for head lifting Newborns generally have limited voluntary neck control. Their head is relatively large compared with the rest of the body, and the cervical muscles and postural control systems are immature. When held, a newborn’s head therefore needs consistent support. Small movements, brief turns toward a sound, or a momentary lift […]

Body Awareness Development in Infancy

Body Awareness Development in Infancy

What Body Awareness Means in Infancy Body awareness is a broad neurodevelopmental capacity rather than a single milestone. It includes interoceptive information about internal bodily states, proprioceptive information about joint position and muscle activity, vestibular information about head movement and gravity, and exteroceptive information from touch and vision. An infant’s brain must gradually combine these […]

How babies learn to move

How babies learn to move

Movement begins with the nervous system and the senses Newborn movement is strongly influenced by the nervous system’s early organization. Primitive reflexes, such as the rooting, grasp, and stepping reflexes, are automatic responses that support early survival and provide the groundwork for later voluntary control. A newborn does not yet plan a reach or deliberately […]