Child Motor Development: Historical Perspectives and Theories

Historical Foundations of Child Development

Key studies include: Shirley (1931), Ozeretsky (1930), Gesell (1947, 1981), and Bayley (1937). Research from 1920-1940 focused on isolated children and biographies, building on earlier work by Pestalozzi (1774), Tiedemann (1787), Shinn (1900), Preyer (1898), and Dearborn (1910).

3.2. European Perspective

3.2.1. J. Ajuriaguerra and Motor Development

Key components include: Infantile Skeletal Organization, Organic Mapping, Automation, and Motor Praxias/Gnosias.

3.2.2. From Holocinesias to Ideocinesias (Azemar)

• 1st Stage (0-5 years): Characterized by trial and error. Movements are predominantly holocinesias, where the effect of actions matters more than the execution. Focuses on locomotion, balance, and object handling.
• 2nd Stage (6+ years): Motor skills become a means to understand the environment. The child considers both the movement and its effect. Progressive cortical development allows for complex ideocinesias, where function becomes a key characteristic.

3.2.3. Emmi Pikler and Global Configuration

Pediatrician Emmi Pikler studied orphans at the Loczy Institute to analyze the effects of institutionalization. Pikler advocated for freedom of movement, allowing motor development to occur spontaneously based on organic and nervous maturation.

Pikler's Conditions for Development

• Stability of environment and caregivers to ensure safety.
• Genuine emotional relationships between the caregiver and the child.
• Clothing that does not impede fluid movement.
• Good health and development.
• Spaces and surfaces suitable for exercising motor skills.

3.2.4. Psychomotor Development According to J. Le Boulch

Jean Le Boulch, a physician and professor of physical education, developed psychokinetics, identifying two major stages in motor skill development:

• Childhood: Characterized by the enactment of psychomotor organization and the structuring of body image.
• Adolescence: Characterized by improved performance factors, particularly the muscular factor, which lends a new dimension to driving performance.