Key Takeaways
- Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are the foundation of all physical activity, helping children move confidently and purposefully.
- FMS can be categorised into three main components: locomotor, object control, and stability.
- Structured activities like gym classes can help children develop FMS in a safe and nurturing environment.
If you have ever watched your child leap across a puddle, balance on a curb, or kick a ball across the playground, you have already seen fundamental movement skills in action. These basic movement patterns are the essential tools that your child uses to interact with the world. Mastering them builds a strong foundation for sports, exercise, and everyday physical tasks.
In this article, we will explore what these movement skills are, why they matter, and how children’s gym classes are a great way to support their development, especially in the early years.
What Are Fundamental Movement Skills?
Fundamental movement skills refer to the core movements children need to participate in any kind of physical activity. These skills are not sport-specific, but they are used in almost every sport and form the basis of more complex actions like swimming, climbing, or playing football.
There are three main categories of FMS:
- Locomotor Skills – These include running, hopping, galloping, skipping, and jumping. They involve moving the body from one place to another and are key for activities like tag, dance, and athletics.
- Object Control Skills – These skills focus on handling objects and include throwing, catching, kicking, rolling, and striking. Children need these for games like basketball, tennis, or football.
- Stability Skills – These involve balance, twisting, turning, and bending. They help with coordination and posture and are vital for climbing, gymnastics, and even standing still with control.
Mastering all three categories of FMS equips children with the physical literacy to move confidently and competently across a variety of situations.
Why Are Fundamental Movement Skills So Important?
Children who develop strong fundamental movement skills tend to enjoy physical activity more, which often leads to lifelong habits of staying active and healthy. That being said, there are other benefits as well:
- They improve coordination, balance, strength, and agility.
- They support learning through movement, especially in young children. Movement activates brain pathways linked to memory, attention, and language development.
- They build self-esteem and confidence, especially when a child successfully masters a new skill.
- They make it easier for children to join in team sports, group games, and school PE classes, which in turn supports social growth and peer relationships.
In short, strong movement skills create more opportunities for your child to thrive—physically, mentally, and socially.
When Is the Best Time to Learn These Skills?
The early years—typically between ages 3 and 8—are the ideal window for developing fundamental movement skills. This is when children are naturally curious, energetic, and eager to move.
At this stage, movement-based learning should be fun, varied, and age-appropriate. Through guided play, obstacle courses, and professionally-led gymnasium classes, children can develop motor skills without feeling like they are being taught. This also helps prevent movement gaps later in life, which can sometimes make physical education or sports more difficult for children who missed this early foundation.
How Gymnastics Supports FMS Development
One of the most effective ways to build these basic movement skills is through gym classes for kids. Gymnastics offers a wide range of activities that target all three categories of FMS in a single session.
In a typical gymnastics class:
- Locomotor skills are built through running, jumping, skipping, and climbing during warm-ups or obstacle courses.
- Object control skills can be practised through activities like bean bag tossing or bar circuits that include swinging and hanging on the bar (for gripping exercises).
- Stability skills are reinforced through balance beams, core exercises, and poses.
Beyond that, gymnastics builds body awareness, body control, and focus. It teaches children to move with intention, to listen to instructions, and to challenge themselves in a safe and encouraging environment. It is also one of the few activities that develops strength, flexibility, and coordination all at once.
Strong fundamental movement skills are absolutely vital to helping children enjoy and thrive in any physical activity they attempt. Whether it is climbing, playing ball, or dancing, these skills help them feel confident in their movements and comfortable in their bodies.
Here at BearyFun Gym, we focus on building these skills through fun and supportive gym classes for kids of various age groups. These classes are specially designed to introduce your child to a wide range of movement experiences in a safe, engaging setting.
To learn more about our programmes, facilities, and instructors, please contact us today.
