Many toddlers (12-24 months) who just have started walking by themselves can seem quite clumsy and they tend to stumble and fall often.

It is also normal for young children (2-4 years old), when they are trying to hop on one leg or catch a ball for the first time, to struggle and seem uncoordinated, almost as if they don’t really know what to do with their bodies. The best thing you can do for your baby or child is to allow them to stumble, fall and struggle… then to get back up and try again!

With time and practice they will become stronger, more balanced and coordinated. Something as basic as running, hopping on one leg or catching a ball will become easier to do and require very little thought and effort. But sometimes, this natural improvement and development does not happen, and a young child who should be able to stand on one leg, hop, jump and catch a ball, really struggles and doesn’t seem to have mastered these skills through play.