Perceptual Motor Program

Perceptual Motor Program:

Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) The Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) operates in ShishuOne everyday for half an hour, as a strategy to assist the development of children’s gross motor skills and therefore assist with the development of fine motor skills, essential in the learning of reading and writing.
This program assists the development of the child and their relationship with their peers and the surrounding environment. It aids concentration and reasoning and gives a sound basis for future formal learning. PMP enhances brain development by stimulating the five senses through movement.
The key areas of development through PMP are:

Gross motor skills : The acquisition of large scale movements eg: walking, running, jumping, skipping, climbing and moving in and out of positions.

Fine motor skills : The acquisition of small scale movements eg: performing building tasks, isolating various fingers, using tools, copying precise actions without overflow (accompanying large scale movements)

Crossing the midline of the body (laterality) : Children who fail to develop this skill are at risk of changing hands at the midline when performing tasks involving movement on a horizontal place. Eyes must also learn to track across the body midline to avoid potential difficulties with reading. Balance Closely associated with the development of gross motor skills.

Body and space awareness. : This usually develops from head to toe and from the centre outwards. Spatial concepts such as behind, between, backwards, forwards and up/down are also practiced.

Visual and spatial skills. : Students are helped to track objects in all directions, match shapes and copy patterns.

Rhythm sequence, memory and listening. : Activities such as clapping to rhythms, fast vs slow movements, counting claps, steps, jumps, etc…. These skills are relevant to the development of mathematical abilities.