Can you believe your little one is ready to start school next year! (Oh how quickly they grow up). When
you think about school readiness, what do you think about? Usually the questions look a little something
like… Is my child able to write their name? Can they tie up their shoe laces? Can they sit still enough to
listen to what the teacher is saying? These are all really important things to consider when asking if your
child is school ready, but what can sometimes be forgotten is… are my child’s gross motor skills age
appropriate and will this impact on their ability to connect with their peers in the playground?
Age appropriate gross motor skills are incredibly important for our children to have so they can easily
connect with their peers in the playground and community setting. They also allow for increased
opportunities of participation and inclusion when interacting with their peers (and even their older
siblings).
Below is a list of age appropriate gross motor skills that we would be expecting our 4-5 year old children
to be able to complete with ease:
– Catch a tennis ball with hands only (no trapping on chest) from 1.5 metres away
– Throw a ball over arm and hit a target 3 metres away with 50% accuracy
– Kick an oncoming ball at least 6 metres with rotation of the trunk and opposite arm and leg
movement
– Bounce and catch a ball (5 years)
– Bounce a ball (4 years)
– Stand on 1 foot with their hands on their hips without swaying for 10 seconds
– Walk forward on a 10cm wide balance beam with hands on hips in a heel/toe walking pattern
– Jumps forward 75-90cm with 2 feet together
– Hops forward on one foot 2-6 metres without losing balance
– Can skip
If you notice your child is struggling with any of the above, dedicating 10-20 minutes an afternoon to
practising these skills will increase their confidence and get them ready to play with their friends next
year!
