Fort building is brain building. Assembling our forts allows kids to practice using their bodies for large movements, and also for smaller movements. These are commonly referred to as “Motor Skills.”
Motor Skills: Gross Motor, Fine Motor and Proprioception
First, what’s the difference?
- Gross Motor Skills – These are characterized by larger body movements. Examples include: running, jumping, throwing, and crawling.
- Fine Motor Skills – These are characterized by smaller movements that require refined use of smaller muscles in the hands, fingers and thumbs.
- Proprioception – Proprioception is the concept of knowing where your body is in space. For example, you don’t generally have to look at your feet while you’re walking to know they’re there. Proprioception connects your brain to your body and gives you a sense of where you are and how much strength is needed to complete the task.
Fort Building for all Three~
When children engage in fort building, they are using both sets of motor skills that enhance body awareness and muscle control. The size of Toydle forts (Huge and Colossal) make excellent use of your child’s gross motor development. Imagine them walking, crawling, reaching and setting up their fort vision. Those are all gross motor movements that help your child gain strength, body control, and confidence in their abilities.
Fine motor skills come into play as your child puts together their fort. Using the pipes and connectors, they are using their hands and forearms to build the strength and skills needed to help improve their handwriting, refine their dexterity and improve eye-hand coordination.
Putting the finishing touches on their fort also engages their large and small muscle groups. Getting out your big blankets, tossing them over the top to create a roof, or hanging lights inside for ambience, your kids are using their brains and their bodies together to make their creations as fantastic as their imaginations!
And finally, proprioception kicks in when your children duck under their fort, figure out how much or how little force is needed to connect the pieces, and how high they can jump once inside.
Ideas and More!
Need ideas for your fort to engage your child? Check out our Ideas page, and don’t forget to send us a picture showing off your kid’s creation!
Now on Pinterest
We’re on Pinterest! Take a look at our Pinterest boards for more than just forts. We share craft ideas, other Made in the USA products, customer fort pictures, highlight our favorite children’s charities and more. We’d love to see you there!
Toydle forts are manufactured in the USA. Support small U.S. manufacturers! And don’t forget, we offer free FedEx ground shipping on our products.
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