Gross motor skills are defined as what?

• A. The movements of the large or major muscles of the body used in tasks such as running, punching, or kicking.
• B. The small muscle movements of fingers.
• C. Cognitive planning of movements.
• D. Sensory integration tasks.

Answer: (A)

Gross motor skills involve the movements of the large muscle groups of the body—legs, hips, trunk, arms—used in actions like running, jumping, throwing, kicking, and climbing. These movements require overall body coordination, balance, and strength rather than precise finger control. That makes this option the best fit for the definition. In contrast, the small muscle movements of the fingers describe fine motor skills, which are about precision tasks such as handwriting or manipulating small objects. Cognitive planning of movements refers to motor planning, not the actual muscle actions themselves, and sensory integration tasks involve combining and interpreting sensory information to guide movement, not the movement itself.