5–6 years old: Gross motor skill development

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As kids grow, their movements become more agile. Follow your child’s gross motor skill development from age 5 to 6.

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.

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How can you help your child progress?

Gross motor skill development: 5 to 6 years old

At this age:

Your child can run faster and more smoothly.
They learn and execute movement sequences more easily.
They can throw a ball with more force and are better at catching it even if the ball isn’t thrown directly to them (i.e., they can move towards the ball to catch it).

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.

Your child catches a ball thrown gently towards them or bounces it off the ground using both hands.
They can run towards a ball to kick it, and can also kick a ball towards a wall and hit it again when it bounces back towards them.
They can balance on one foot for 5 to 10 seconds and easily hop on one foot over a short distance (3 m).
They can jump in different ways. For instance, they can jump forwards (60 cm) and in the air (50 cm); do one jumping jack at a time; jump and spin 180°; skip (jump twice on one foot then twice on the other foot); and play hopscotch, elastic jump rope, and possibly jump rope.
They can pedal on a bicycle with or without training wheels.
They ride a 2-wheeled scooter.
They throw a ball underhanded and overhanded (like a baseball player).
They know how to swim (if they’ve been taught).
They can cross the monkey bars at the playground, placing one hand after the other on the same rung.

Over the next few months, your child will begin to do the following:

Play games like basketball or soccer that require coordinating several different movements, such as walking, running, throwing, catching, and kicking a ball.
Ride a bike a short distance without using training wheels.
Cross the monkey bars at the playground by placing only one hand on each rung.
Walk sideways on a narrow ledge (10 cm) while keeping their balance.
Catch a ball with one hand.

How can you help your child progress?

Your child is unique and will develop at their own pace. They have strengths and weaknesses and are becoming increasingly self-aware. You can help your child develop their gross motor skills with these simple everyday actions:

When you take your child on a walk in the woods,		they improve their coordination and balanceusing elements found in nature, such as tree trunks and rocks.
When you play ball with your child (or when they play ball with friends),		they develop strength and agility as they catch, throw, and kick the ball. They also learn the rules of different games.
When you take your child for a bike ride to a specific destination (e.g., to the park or convenience store),		they develop the balance and strength needed to keep the bike moving, as well as the stamina to reach the target.
When you and your child take the stairs instead of the elevator,		your little one’s strength and endurance improve and their heart and lungs get stronger.
When you turn a hallway into a “movement zone” in which your child practises moves like jumping or crawling every time they walk through it,		they learn how to expend their energy in a healthy way while going about their day.
When you let your child to walk on cement ledges in parks or near sidewalks,		they improve their coordination and develop an interest in going for walks and being physically active.
When you play different sports together,		your child gets to explore a variety of activities and figure out which ones they like best.

Scientific review: Josiane Caron Santha, occupational therapist
Research and copywriting:The Naître et grandir team
Updated: November 2025

Photo: GettyImages/romrodinka

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.

Bouchard, Caroline, and Nathalie Fréchette. Le développement global de l’enfant de 0 à 6 ans en contextes éducatifs. 2nd ed., Presses de l’Université du Québec, 2019, 516 pp.
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.
Caron Santha, Josiane. Video. Comment créer un corridor moteur pour stimuler la motricité globale à la maison? 2019. youtube.com
Caron Santha, Josiane. Video. Apprendre à faire du vélo (13 défis étape par étape). 2016. youtube.com
Ferland, Francine. Le développement de l’enfant au quotidien : de 0 à 6 ans. 2nd ed., Éditions du CHU Sainte-Justine, 2018, 264 pp.
Pathways. “Motor.” pathways.org