Large or Gross Motor Skills
Examples of large or gross motor skills are running, jumping and hopping, climbing, kicking, throwing, rolling and batting ball, etc. They require balance and coordination. A larger ball requires more use of the large or gross motor skills while a smaller ball may be more inclined to use finer or smaller motor skills. If your child is very young, using the finer motor skills with a small ball may become frustrating so stick to a larger ball. Use games that involve these skills to improve the child's motor skills. Running chasing games, jumping rope or jumping over an item or line drawn on the sidewalk, playing hopscotch, climbing on the jungle gym, and playing ball are just a few games to help your child begin to refine these large motor skills and develop the muscles they use.
Small or Fine Motor Skills
Fine-motor coordination is being able to control the small muscles of the body and is usually defined as the ability to coordinate the action of the eyes and hands together in performing precise manipulative movements (eye-hand coordination).
It is important to try to make your child as independent as possible. To do this you must resist the temptation to complete the tasks for him or her, including such daily requirements as tying shoelaces, cutting food, and dressing. Instead, be there to assist your child as he or she completes the task.
Examples of things you can do with your young child that improves fine or small motor development include working puzzles, coloring pictures, using scissors to cut, tearing paper, playing with lego's or building blocks, stringing beads or popcorn, playing with snap beads, playing dress up, playing with play dough or clay among many other things.