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Summer provides many opportunities for children to participate in gross motor activities. This includes taking trips to your neighborhood playground, going to the pool, riding a bike and playing sports. Activities that strengthen large muscles help children navigate surfaces, improve balance and posture, build stamina as well as confidence. Children who have upper body strength in their arms and trunk have better control of their body which leads to improved fine motor skills. Below is a list of gross motor developmental milestones for children ages 3-5.

3-year olds:

Walk forward heel-and-toe for 5 steps

Run 30 feet with most of their weight on the balls of the feet

Climb stairs using a hand rail and place 2 feet on each stair

Jump with one or two feet over a small object

Jump forward 24 inches

Begin to move legs to pump a swing

May be overly fearful of height and the speed of objects thrown to them

Stand on one foot unsteadily for a few seconds

Kick a ball with a backward and forward leg swing

4-year olds:

Demonstrate a mature run- the arms bend at the elbows and move back and forth across the body, the trunk leans forward, high knee and heel lift and running on the balls of their feet to push ahead

Hop on one foot

Stand on one foot for ten seconds or more

Alternate feet going up the stairs- one foot per step

Show greater perceptual judgement and awareness of limitations

Exhibit increased endurance

Walk forward on line heel-and-toe for 6 feet

Jump forward 10 times

Kick a ball with good backward and forward leg swing and arm movement

5-year olds:

Gallop for 10 feet

Hop 5 times

Walk backwards toe-to-heel for 4 steps

Skip and run with speed

Walk on a two-inch balance beam with control

Jump down a few steps

Coordinate movements for swimming and bike riding

Play group turn taking gross motor games

Stand on one foot with eyes closed for 10 or more seconds

Take 2 or more coordinated steps and kick a big ball