Gross Motor Skills for Kindergarten Readiness: Is Your Child Prepared?
Written By: Amy Wolcott M.S., CCC-SLP
When you think about skills your child needs to start kindergarten, you might think of language milestones like following directions and answering questions, or you might think about fine motor skills like holding a crayon or using scissors.
These are certainly important skills, but did you know that gross motor skills—tasks that involve large muscles like the arms, legs, and torso—are some of the foundational skills for kindergarten readiness?
“Gross motor strength is critical for kindergarteners to begin all of their next skills (coloring, cutting, pasting, etc.) because so many of these next skills require fine motor control,” explained TPP co-owner and physical therapist Jessi Frencken. “You cannot develop good fine motor control without first having stability in the large muscle groups.”
So how do you know if your child has the gross motor skills they need, and how can you help develop those skills?
Gross Motor Checklist for Kindergarten Readiness
Before starting kindergarten, your child should be able to:
- Balance on one foot (with each leg) for 5 seconds
- Hop on one foot (each leg)
- Walk up and down stairs while remaining on their feet without help
- Climb playground structures without concern
- Gallop
- Skip
- Walk along a taped line without stepping off
Get up and down off the floor without help or use of hands
Walk independently without excessive falling or tripping
Why Do Gross Motor Skills Matter?
Foundational to the Development of Fine Motor Skills
Gross motor control is necessary for the development of the fine motor skills that are vital in a kindergarten classroom. Before you can write or cut or zip up your jacket, you need stability in your arms and core!
Support Attention and Academic Success
Children need core strength and postural control to be successful in requirements of the kindergarten environment, like sitting at a desk for extended periods.
“Core and postural control directly impact a child’s ability to focus on school work and cognitive tasks,” explained physical therapist Grace Schibi. “If it is too hard to maintain a stationary body for any reason, academics will likely be affected.”
Necessary for Participation and Safety
Age-appropriate gross motor skills allow kids to fully participate in the kindergarten experience—from fun and games at recess to athletic activities in PE. Gross motor skills are also foundational to safety in the school setting, allowing kids to navigate things like stairs, ramps, and playground equipment as they move through their day.
How Can You Support Development of Gross Motor Skills?
Play and Explore
The playground is an ideal environment to practice gross motor skills like running, climbing, jumping, and balancing!
Engage in Structured Play
Summer provides lots of opportunities to engage in structured play that develops gross motor skills—think games of duck, duck, goose or water balloon tosses—the possibilities are endless.
Encourage Independent Participation in Routines
School will bring lots of new routines, and summer can be a good time to help your child prepare. For example, you might ask your child to sit at the table, open their lunch box and the foods inside independently, and eat within a set time frame.
What To Do If You Are Concerned About Gross Motor Development
If your child is unable to complete several of the tasks above, schedule an evaluation with a physical therapist. At TPP, our physical therapists are experts in gross motor development and will create an individualized treatment plan to help your child reach these important milestones!
Are You a Physical Therapist Who Wants To Make a Difference?
We are looking for pediatric physical therapists and physical therapy assistants to join our team! At TPP, you will have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children in our area while working in a supportive, multi-disciplinary environment. Learn more about job opportunities on our careers page!
