Psychomotor skills – what is it?

In Germany, the term psychomotor skills is closely linked to Johnny Kiphard, who, as a young sports student and together with a child psychiatrist in 1955, discovered that children are often overwhelmed by sports exercises and give up. Instead of the performance principle, they relied on free, imperceptibly guided play (Kiphard 1998) and observed that all children found a form of movement for themselves.

They recognized that the children's mental well-being was expressed in their movement behavior and called their offering psychomotor skills - soul, mind and body are one.

Psychomotor skills have since developed further, set different priorities and are also called motor pedagogy or motor therapy.

The general terms have remained the same:

Psychomotor skills characterize the connection

of perception, movement, experience and action.

Psychomotor skills are a holistic way of promoting personality development.

Psychomotor skills always include one's own body perception, perception of the material environment (e.g. equipment, balls, ropes, ...), perception of the social environment (school class, friends, ...) and corresponding communication and action.

Psychomotor skills ……

• is based on the needs and experiences of the children
• emphasizes the children's independence (the adult does not dictate anything)
• accepts and respects each child in his or her own way (appreciation)
• renounces performance pressure
• gives children the ability to act
• gives a positive self-esteem
• is a highly structured offer with clear rules within which everyone can develop freely.

All of these are good foundations for strengthening the individual and supporting a good classroom community.

How does a psychomotor lesson work? --> Click here to continue!