Development of motor skills in 4- to 5-year-olds. Follow your child’s milestones step by step.
Gross motor skill development allows children to improve their balance and coordination and use their large muscles. These abilities helped your little one master certain movements, such as sitting, creeping, crawling, walking, running, climbing, jumping, and more. Developing gross motor skills is also an important step towards developing fine motor skills.
Gross motor skills: 4 to 5 years old
At this age:
Remember that not all children develop the same skills at the same speed. The material on this website is for general information purposes only. In addition, the milestone ages given may vary from source to source. If you’re concerned about your child’s development, speak with a doctor.
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Your child can stand on one foot for longer (about 10 seconds).
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They can intentionally walk on tiptoe or on their heels, for example, when doing a dance routine.
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They can make sudden stops while running (e.g., while playing tag) and avoid obstacles in their path (e.g., by running in a zigzag).
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They throw, catch, and bounce a ball with greater ease.
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They can throw a ball and hit their target if it’s not too small or far away. They can also catch a ball if it is thrown gently from a close distance.
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They can walk forward and backward on a thinner beam using their arms to keep their balance.
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They can jump forward with their feet together over a short distance (without stopping between jumps) and gallop (jump forward with one foot always leading).
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They can jump in several different ways (feet apart, feet together, on one foot) in alternation, as in a game of hopscotch, but have to pause between jumps.
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They jump in place multiple times on one foot, over a low obstacle. They can also jump down from a higher obstacle (30 to 45 cm).
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They go up and down stairs by putting one foot at a time on each step, without support.
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They can learn how to swim, skate, and steer a bike with training wheels.
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They start to somersault without tipping to the side.
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At the park, your child climbs all the age-appropriate structures and can propel themself on the swings.
Over the next few months, your child will begin to do the following:
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Jump from a height of 0.5 m
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Jump while doing a half-turn
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Control the movement of a soccer ball
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Jump on one foot while moving
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Jump on either side of a line, feet together, without stopping between jumps
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Alternate between types of jumps, as in hopscotch, without stopping between jumps
Learn how you can support your child’s gross motor skill development through books. (in French)
How can you help your child progress?
Every child is different and develops at their own pace. That said, you can help foster your child’s development by adopting the Comfort, Play, and Teach parenting approach, which can easily be integrated into your daily routine. The table below shows simple, ageappropriate ways to help your child develop their gross motor skills.
Comfort
When you take photos and videos of your little one doing physical activities and then watch them together, | | they feel proud of themself and are motivated to do more physical activity. |
When you watch out for the safety of others, for example by encouraging them to be careful when throwing a ball to someone, | | you child learns to control their strength. |
Teach
When you regularly take your child for bike rides around the park or in your neighbourhood, | | your child learns to pedal, explores their world, and discovers new people and places. |
When you invite friends to play a game outside, for example, hide-and-seek, tag, or soccer, | | your child exercises motor coordination skills while learning to follow the rules of the game. |
Play
When you create a safe obstacle course inside the house or in the yard and explain to your child how to use it, | | your child learns to follow directions and practises using different motor skills, such as crawling under a chair, balancing, and jumping over objects. |
When you watch sporting events on television with your child and imitate the athletes’ movements (safely, of course), | | your child practises different movements while working on their strength and coordination. |
| Scientific review: Josiane Caron Santha, occupational therapist
Research and copywriting:The Naître et grandir team
Updated: November 2025
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Photo: GettyImages/Capuski
Resources and references
Note: The links to other websites are not updated regularly, and some URLs may have changed since publication. If a link is no longer valid, please use search engines to find the relevant information.
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Caron Santha, Josiane, and Solène Bourque. Bouger pour grandir : comprendre et favoriser le développement moteur des enfants (0–8 ans). Éditions Midi trente, 2023, 160 pp.
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Caron Santha, Josiane. “Apprendre à sauter âge par âge.” josianecaronsantha.com
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Caron Santha, Josiane. Video. Apprendre à se balancer sans aide (en 2 étapes faciles). 2018. youtube.com
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Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development. Physical Activity in Early Childhood: Setting the Stage for Lifelong Healthy Habits. 2011. child-encyclopedia.com
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Ferland, Francine. Le développement de l’enfant au quotidien : de 0 à 6 ans. 2nd ed., Éditions du CHU Sainte-Justine, 2018, 264 pp.
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Ferland, Francine. Viens jouer dehors! Pour le plaisir et la santé. Éditions du CHU Sainte-Justine, 2012, 122 pp.
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Pathways. “Motor.” pathways.org
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Canadian Paediatric Society. “Your child’s development: What to expect.” Caring for Kids. 2019. caringforkids.cps.ca
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