Dyspraxia, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), is often misunderstood as simply a movement difficulty. While it does affect motor coordination, balance, and everyday physical tasks, dyspraxia goes much deeper. It can influence how a child learns, organises themselves, manages emotions, and even how they communicate.
For parents, caregivers, and teachers, understanding dyspraxia means recognising both the challenges and the potential. With the right strategies, children with dyspraxia can not only keep up in school but truly thrive.
As we shared in a recent episode of Play, Learn & Create with Edx Education Beyond Movement: Supporting Children with Dyspraxia Through Play
“Dyspraxia is not about intelligence it’s about how the brain processes information and plans actions. When we provide children with practical support, patience, and playful learning opportunities, we give them the tools to show what they’re truly capable of.”
How Dyspraxia Affects Children
Dyspraxia can impact many areas of a child’s life:
- Movement: balancing, hopping, or participating in sports may be difficult.
- Fine motor skills: handwriting, buttoning clothes, or cutting with scissors can feel frustrating.
- Organisation and memory: children may struggle to copy from the board, follow multi-step instructions, or keep track of belongings.
- Communication: muddled speech, difficulties forming letters, or challenges expressing ideas clearly.
- Academic performance: working memory and sequencing difficulties can make maths, writing, and English tasks harder.
These challenges often affect social confidence and emotional wellbeing. A child may feel left out in group activities, anxious about writing tasks, or frustrated by being “different.”
Practical Tips for Caregivers and Teachers.
The good news is that small adjustments can make a big difference. Here are some practical strategies that help children with dyspraxia exceed expectations:
1. Use Visual Checklists and Schedules Children with dyspraxia often struggle with organisation and sequencing. Visual reminders such as charts, step-by-step cards, or daily routines reduce reliance on memory and give children independence in managing tasks.
2. Scaffold Instructions Breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps helps prevent overwhelm. Give one instruction at a time, check for understanding, and use repetition to support recall.
3. Offer Alternative Tools Handwriting can be particularly challenging. Keyboards, tablets, or speech-to-text technology allow children to express their knowledge without the barrier of letter formation or handwriting fatigue.
4. Build Extra Processing Time Children with dyspraxia may need longer to plan and organise their thoughts. Allowing extra time for tasks and responses helps reduce stress and ensures they can show their true abilities.
5. Encourage Playful Learning Play offers children the freedom to practise skills without the pressure of “getting it right.” Role play, storytelling, memory games, and hands-on exploration all build motor skills, organisation, and confidence in ways that feel fun and natural.
Supporting Emotional Wellbeing Dyspraxia can sometimes lead to frustration or low self-esteem, especially when children compare themselves to peers. Caregivers and teachers can help by:
- Celebrating effort, not just outcomes.
- Encouraging cooperative play and teamwork.
- Creating safe spaces for children to express their feelings.
- Reinforcing strengths and talents outside of academics, such as creativity, kindness, or problem-solving.
Moving Beyond Expectations
Children with dyspraxia may face extra hurdles, but with patience, understanding, and tailored support, they can exceed expectations. When we focus on strategies that reduce barriers and highlight strengths, we empower children to learn, grow, and thrive.
As we reflected in the podcast:
“Every checklist, every scaffold, every playful activity is more than just support it’s an invitation for children with dyspraxia to succeed on their own terms.”
Let’s continue to look beyond movement and see the whole child their potential, creativity, and resilience. Together, we can create inclusive classrooms and supportive homes where children with dyspraxia are celebrated for who they are and given every chance to shine.
By Heather Welch, Author of Happy Children Play and General Manager, Edx Education UK