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Motor skill development usually happens in a predictable sequence. Attached to this page are general milestones for birth to age 5. Children do not all fit the same timeline as to when they develop, thus there are ranges as to when skills develops. While children may not follow the same timeline, they typically occur in the same order. In physical therapy, therapists work to help children develop their early milestones. Therapists use milestones to help assess children as well via standardized testing.
Developmental Positions (the order we learn to hold ourselves in)
Developmental Positions (the order we learn to hold ourselves in)
Supine (laying on the back)
Prone (laying on your stomach)
All fours (hands and knees)
Sitting
Kneel, high kneel and 1/2 kneel
Standing
Note positions may overlap, being acquired at similar times.
Development of Mobility (the order we learn to move)
Development of Mobility (the order we learn to move)
Pivot (on belly)
Rolling
Belly Crawl
Transition to sitting
All fours Crawl (creep)
Transition to standing
Walking
Note mobility types may overlap, being acquired at similar times.
Preschool Milestones: Based on Peabody Developmental Motor Scale 2nd Ed.
Locomotor and Stability Skills:
Runs, stops and changes direction with ease ( 4 yrs)
Jump in place with feet together (3 yrs)
Jump forward with feet together
3 years >12 in
4 years>20 in
5 years>2 ft
Walks on tip-toes for 8 feet (3 yrs)
Walk a 4 inch by 8 foot balance line ( 4 yrs)
Stand on one foot without swaying
3 years: 3 sec
4 years: 5 sec
5 years: 10 sec
Hopping on preferred foot up to 5 times ( 3-4 yrs)
Hop on each foot forward ( 5 yrs)
Climbs outside play equipment (3 years)
****See stairs on School Access Page.****
Preschool Milestones: Based on Peabody Developemntal Motor Scale 2nd Ed.
Object Control (Manipulation Skills):
Kick playground ball forward over 6 feet (3 yrs)
Kick playground ball forward 12 feet (5 yrs)
Throw tennis size ball underhanded
3 years: 6 feet
4 years: 10 feet to target
Throw tennis size ball 10 feet forward overhanded (4 yrs)
Attempt to catch a playground size ball by moving hands and arms towards chest, may secure to chest (37-42 months)
Successfully catches playground ball with hands, from 5 feet away (4 yrs)
Catch a tennis ball with only hands from 5 foot distance (49-54 months)
There are 3 groups of basic fundamental skills that children learn and progress in their elementary years to help support future activity. By looking at these areas, a physical therapist can identify delays as well as physical impairments that impact their motor skill development based on observing qualities of these skills.
Locomotor skills such as running, jumping, hopping, galloping, rolling, leaping and dodging, horizontal jump, slide.
Manipulative skills such as throwing, catching, kicking, striking and trapping, dribble, overhand throw, and underhand roll and throw
Stability skills such as balance, twisting, turning and bending
In physical therapy in school, PT helps children with delays develop these fundamental skills to best access school. These are addressed in physical education, in the general education curriculum as well.
Links
Links
Developmental Milestones (all areas)
CDC: These were recently updated in 2/2022. These changes are not yet reflected in the developmental milestones note on this website.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/milestonemomentseng508.pdf
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