Among humans, which one of the following activity does not require gross motor…

Concept: Human motor skills fall into two broad categories — gross motor skills, which use the large muscle groups of the legs, arms, and trunk for whole-body movements such as standing, walking, and jumping; and fine motor skills, which use the small muscles of the hands and fingers for precise, controlled movements such as grasping, pointing, and writing.

Applying this to each activity:

• Standing alone needs the large muscles of the legs and trunk to hold posture and balance — a gross motor demand.

• Walking upstairs with help and support needs coordinated leg and trunk movement plus balance — also a gross motor demand.

• Jumping at a place needs the legs and trunk to generate force and control landing balance — also a gross motor demand.

• Grasping a toy needs only small, precise movements of the hand and fingers, not the large muscle groups used above — a fine motor skill, not a gross motor one.

Cross-check: the same distinction holds for other familiar examples — running, climbing, and sitting up are gross motor activities (large muscles), while buttoning a shirt, writing, and picking up small objects are fine motor activities (small muscles). Grasping a toy belongs with this second group, confirming the answer.

Correct answer: Grasping a toy — it is a fine motor skill and does not require gross motor skills.