Dexterity combines fine motor skills (the ability to work the hands and fingers) and gross motor skills (the muscle movement required for walking, running, climbing, jumping or even standing upright).
Why it’s important:
Dexterity, as it relates to fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, is one of the most developed physical skills in education. Writing, drawing, typing or playing an instrument require high levels of fine motor skills. However, the second element of dexterity, gross motor skills, is often overlooked. As children develop into adolescents and adults, they build upon the gross motor skills learned at a young age. In other words, children that run more as children get better at running as they get older. It’s paramount that these fundamental gross motor skills be addressed at a young age to provide a solid foundation for overall growth and well being.
Playground Components that help:
Overheads, climbers and wall climbers provide the best solutions for those looking to enhance the dexterity of children on the playground.
Overheads:
Overheads, like the Tarzan Maze or Monkey Bars, maximize dexterity as it relates to gross motor skills. Because children are suspended above the ground, maintaining a solid grip is the only way to traverse the obstacle. The emphasis on grip, along with the need to swing to the next rung requires that hands, arms, eyes and reasoning skills work together. This means that a child is developing dexterity as it relates to the entire body when playing on an overhead.
Climbers:
Climbers, like overheads, require grip. Climbers that are more rung-based and steep in nature, such as the Curly Climber, are geared more towards the development of dexterity. Other climbers that are flat and more platform-based, like the Giant Steps, still encourage dexterity, but are more suited for other areas of physical development.
Wall Climbers
Wall Climbers, specifically the Rock Wall Climber, offer dexterity development in a way not addressed by any traditional playground equipment. Much like the rock walls used by adults, our wall climbers give children small objects to hold onto as they work their way up the structure. This unique series of movements requires uncommon grips. Instead of simply using the entire hand or the thumb, the hand holds are shaped in a way that makes children use their fingers. This blend of fine motor skills and gross motor skills in addition to reasoning and large muscle group development, is a surefire way to increase fun while improving fitness.
