My son is 3 years old and can already read. But he can't ride a trike or catch a ball? What do I do?

Question

This boy is all brains. He reads, speaks his mind, can count to 100 , knows his planets, shapes, colors, loves clocks n calendars, and is starting to understand what addition and subtraction is. He surfs the web like nobody's business. Physically he can jump, canter, climb, dance in rythum to a beat (he's into drumming too), but when it comes to rolling a ball, catching a ball, or riding a tricycle - he just doesn't seem to get it. He just learned how to move forward in a 'little tyke' kid car. Before that he would only push the car from behind or push backwards. I'm not sure if I should be doing anything. But I don't want my son to be the only one on the team who doesn't know how to catch or ride a bike. I don't want opinions, so if that's all you have, please don't bother. I need some real information about child development here.

Answer 1

I personally feel that he needs to be outside or moving around the house to develop those gross motor skills--which make it possible to push and throw. You say he is surfing the web---3 year olds shouldn't be surfing the web or watching a lot of TV. They need hands on expereinces to grow and develop. Get him moving around--engage him in play. Invite other children over for play dates---they won't necessarily play together, but your son can learn a lot by watching what other children do. Little children learn a lot of things from playing. It may seem like he isn't doing anything, but trust me, he will learn a lot.

Answer 2

First of all be thrilled not worried. Reading at his age is above normal and everything else is normal. My son is 3 1/2 and won't use the pedals on his tricycle and just learned how to move forward in the tyke car and just in the past 2 weeks he has finally learned to catch a ball. We have also noticed that if we want him to do something too much he won't do it at all. I guess it's not fun to him if we're forcing him to do it.

Answer 3

Sounds like your son developed mentally faster than physically.

The same way he learned to read he will have to learn to catch a ball and ride a bike.
Practice.

He has for some reason developed fine motor skills faster than gross motor skills (catching a ball)

Continue to encourage him to roll the ball, and so forth, same thing with bike riding.

If after a couple of months he still has not grasped the concept.

Take him to see a doctor to see if there is an underlying physical cause.
If not, take him to see a neurologist, he could have a condition that keeps him from performing/ understanding simple large motor skill tasks.

Answer 4

Well here is some real info for you. All children develope at different rates. That is a fact. But truthfully by age three, he should know how to roll a ball. My son is also three and can't catch a ball yet or pedal on his own. They will do these things when they are ready, don't worry. He also shouldn't be surfing the web, he is too young!!

Answer 5

All children develop at different stages at different things.

My 3 yr old daughter can drive a tractor, ride on the back of a motorcycle (and before you say anythin... it's with her Dad on front and only going at a walking speed... I walk beside to make sure she don't fall off!!!) operate the VCR and the DVD player, and change the channels on the TV. She can do the wooden puzzles, bottle feed a calf, unload the dishwasher and put groceries away. She can bathe herself top to bottom with minimal supervision, dress herself in too large clothes, line up same colors and shapes in a row. Build towers out of everything stackable, tell who's car just pulled into the drive by it's engine sound, etc...

But to get her to go in the potty and to talk... no go ...

So... don't sweat it... he will get the hang of it soon enough. Maybe he really don't like bikes and balls.???

Answer 6

All kids develope at their own rate. His brain is going for it now and the physical will probably catch up later. Even if it doesn't, don't stress him out already about what other kids can do that maybe he can't. Lighten up and enjoy what he is and not what he isn't.
My daughter started out the same way, but by Jr. High she was good at basketball, volly ball, etc. In High School she was in dance, drama, choir, cheerleading and Tai Kwan Do. This did take a small piece of her grade point average, though. You generally can't have it all without messing your kid up.
Please leave him to go his own speed and love him to bits.

Answer 7

Have you ever heard of Asperger's Syndrome ? My son has it. They believe Albert Einstein had it as well. It is basically high functioning Autism. I never heard of it until my son was 5 and I stumbled accross it in a good housekeeping magazine. While it was devastating to find out my son whom I believed was "normal" was Autistic. However it was also kind of a relief to find out why my baby who at 2 could name all the planets , tell you what family any animal belonged to , the diet of just about any animal as well as their mating and living habbits was sort of clumsy and couldn't do simple things like pedal a trike. ANOTHER big clue to this is peer interaction or lack there of. Asperger's kids like older kids or younger kids but have trouble with peers. How does your son interact with peers? Does he play with or parrallel to other children his age? Has he been in social situations with children his own age and if so how has he handled it? I am not saying this is the only possible explanation for his apparent intelligence and delay in gross motor skills but it is a place to start looking. Talk to his pediatrician .... I wish someone would have pointed us in the right direction earlier. By the way my son is in a normal class room in a private school , gets A's and B's and , can now play soccer and piano and in the last year has made several friends. If it is Asperger's Syndrome it is not a death sentence and the expected prognosis is WONDERFUL if you know early what you are dealing with and how to help them .

Answer 8

You are only going to get one shot at this as he is growing by leaps and bounds. 1st what I would suggest is, find out if throwing or catching a ball is what the tyke really likes to do, which means you will have to experiment with many activities that could be fun for him. Then spend lots of time with him doing what he likes and create a bond that he will remember 4-ever.

Answer 9

Don't worry, and don't push him to do something. It may be he just isn't interested in these things yet. Are there other kids his age nearby? Sometimes children will learn more about bikes and balls from other kids than from adults. If he doesn't get frustrated when playing ball or with his tricycle, then let him be. He will learn at his own pace.

Answer 10

go to the Dr. to get some tests done. It could be a coordination problem and it may not be. I would go to the Dr and see what is up. At 3 many kids cannot catch a ball. does he not have the leg coordination to push the peddles on a truck? or is he just not interested? Maybe he is not interested in those things so does not try