YOUR QUESTION. A CLEARER NEXT STEP.
What strengths can a child with Motor Planning Difficulties have?
Children with motor planning difficulties (dyspraxia) often have real strengths: creativity, verbal ability, empathy, determination, strong memory and big-picture thinking. Building therapy on these strengths helps harder movement skills follow. Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional., under clinician care.
In this answer 4 sections
Behind the hard work of planning a movement, many children carry remarkable strengths that deserve to be seen and celebrated.
In short
A child with motor planning difficulties (often described as dyspraxia) finds it harder to plan and sequence new movements — but this says nothing about their intelligence, imagination or heart. Many of these children are wonderfully creative, verbally bright, deeply empathetic and tenacious problem-solvers. When we build on what comes easily, the harder skills follow more readily, and your child's confidence grows with them.
Strengths these children often show
- Rich imagination and creativity — strong ideas, original thinking and vivid storytelling, even when the body finds it hard to keep pace.
- Verbal and language ability — many express themselves well in words, with good vocabulary and reasoning.
- Empathy and warmth — having worked hard at things others find easy, they are often kind, intuitive and supportive of others.
- Determination and resilience — practising a skill many times builds real grit and a never-give-up spirit.
- Strong memory and problem-solving — finding clever workarounds and remembering routines and details.
- Big-picture and visual thinking — seeing patterns, connections and creative solutions adults miss.
These are not consolation prizes — they are genuine engines of progress. A child who loves stories can be guided into movement through play; a determined child practises willingly when tasks are broken into achievable steps.
The Pinnacle way
AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from an app or online form. Our therapists map your child's motor planning profile alongside their strengths, so occupational therapy builds from what your child already does well. You can also learn how the AbilityScore is established as a clear starting point for your family.
Trusted sources
WHO ICF framework on functioning and participation; American Academy of Pediatrics guidance on developmental coordination and child strengths; ASHA resources on motor and praxis development.
Next step — Want your child's strengths mapped as clearly as their challenges? Book a Pinnacle assessment.
This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
CONNECT THE ANSWER TO YOUR CHILD’S DAY
Something to notice. Something to discuss.
What to notice
Notice where your child shines — storytelling, kindness, persistence, clever solutions. These strengths are the easiest doorway into practising harder movement skills.
In everyday life
Turn a tricky physical task into something your child loves. If they enjoy stories, narrate each step like an adventure — it makes planning the movement feel like play, not work.
Bring your observations and questions to your child’s professional. Choose activities that suit your child’s comfort, abilities and agreed plan.
Bring your questions to a first visitQuestions families ask
Does motor planning difficulty affect my child's intelligence?
No. Motor planning difficulty (dyspraxia) affects how the brain plans and sequences new movements, not how clever a child is. Many children have strong verbal, creative and reasoning abilities.
How can I build on my child's strengths at home?
Use what your child loves to make movement practice enjoyable — link physical tasks to their favourite stories, games or interests, and break new skills into small, achievable steps with plenty of encouragement.
Will therapy focus only on what my child finds hard?
No. At Pinnacle, therapists map your child's strengths alongside their challenges, so occupational therapy is built from what your child already does well, which makes progress faster and more confident.
FOLLOW THE SOURCE
References behind this answer.
- Organisation website · further readingAAP HealthyChildren — child development and strengths
- Source referenceWHO ICF — functioning and participation framework
- Organisation website · further readingASHA — motor and praxis development resources
References are supplied with this answer. An organisation homepage offers further reading; it does not establish an independent review of this page.
Content attribution: SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network.
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FROM UNDERSTANDING TO PURPOSEFUL SUPPORT
One question. Your child’s whole life.
Your child’s self-sufficient, mainstream-included life is the purpose from the beginning. At Pinnacle, that purpose shapes what we understand, the goals we choose, the people we bring together, everyday practice and review.
Connect this question with the right support.
Explore how the relevant service contributes to everyday abilities, then speak with us about your child.
Make the next conversation useful.
Bring the situations you notice at home or school. We’ll explain a suitable service, centre and first visit, including availability and fees, before you decide.
How PinnacleAI® connects the journeyExplore the seven stages
- 1Understand abilities
A starting picture of your child’s capabilities.
- 2Choose meaningful goals
Readiness and a plan shaped around the child.
- 3Bring the right support together
Suitable therapies and people for those goals.
- 4Carry practice into everyday life
Guidance for family, home and school.
- 5Track and correct
Use observations to adjust the plan.
- 6Reassess and review
Decide what to continue, change or do next.
- 7Grow independence and participation
The child’s life gives each step its purpose.
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PINNACLE’S EVIDENCE, OPEN TO YOU
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General information supports a conversation with an appropriately qualified professional. Advice, goals and support depend on the individual child.