Between the ages of 4 and 5, children start to become more coordinated, confident, and independent. From gross motor skills like running, jumping, and climbing, to fine motor skills like buttoning up clothes, the physical development of children at this age is important to their overall growth.
In this blog, we’ll outline the different physical development milestones a child aged 4 to 5 will typically hit, as well as suggest how you can help encourage this development.
What are physical development milestones?
Physical development in EYFS is related to the growth of a child’s body and brain. As children develop physically, their physical coordination, strength, and balance improve. They begin to have more control over the movement of their body and muscles, and become more physically able.
Healthcare professionals, parents, and teachers might use physical development milestones to measure whether children are developing as expected. Although all children develop at slightly different times, there are certain skills and activities that children aged 4 to 5 can typically do.
What are the physical development milestones for 4 to 5-year-olds?
At 4 to 5 years old, children are starting to become more independent and view the world as a bigger picture. They will begin to do more things for themselves, become more confident in their physical ability, and explore new concepts and experiences through play and physical activity.
We have outlined the physical development milestones children will typically hit when aged 4 to 5 years old:
Gross motor skills development milestones
Gross motor skills are an important part of physical development in children. They involve the coordination and movement of your whole body, from your muscles to your bones and nerves. Developing these skills aids the overall physical development, health, and well-being of 4 to 5-year-olds.
Between the ages of 4 and 5, children will typically be able to display the following gross motor skills:
- Walking up and down stairs
- Throwing, catching, kicking, and bouncing balls
- Climbing equipment, trees, and ladders
- Jumping over small objects
- Standing, walking, and running on their tiptoes
- Swinging on a swingset
- Skipping using skipping ropes
- Balancing on one foot
- Hopping, including on one foot
Learn more about the development of gross motor skills.
Fine motor skills development milestones
Fine motor skills require the coordination of small muscles to carry out precise and controlled movements. The improvement of fine motor skills is an important part of the physical development of children, as it allows them to carry out tasks like dressing themselves independently.
At 4 to 5 years old, children will usually be able to carry out the following tasks requiring fine motor skills:
- Threading beads onto a string
- Using child safety scissors
- Using forks and spoons to eat
- Buttoning up small buttons
- Unzipping clothing
- Dressing and undressing themselves
- Starting to learn how to tie shoelaces
- Drawing geometric patterns
- Drawing a person with a head, arms, and legs
- Printing some letters
Learn more about the development of fine motor skills.
How active should a 4 to 5-year-old be?
According to the NHS, preschoolers aged 4 should spend a total of 3 hours a day doing physical activity, spread throughout the day. This should include at least an hour of moderate or vigorous physical activity.
Once children reach the age of 5, the NHS suggests they aim for an average of one hour of moderate or vigorous physical activity every day. They should participate in a range of physical activities at different intensities.
How can I help encourage the physical development of my 4 to 5-year-old?
There are plenty of ways you can encourage the physical development of 4 to 5-year-olds as a parent, teacher, or carer:
Encourage outdoor play
Playing with your child outdoors provides plenty of opportunity for children to run, jump, climb, and crawl around. Whether you play together in the garden or take a trip to the local playground to make use of the outdoor play equipment, encouraging your 4 to 5-year-old to get active outside can build their confidence and develop their gross motor skills and fine motor skills.
Find out more about the health, social, and physical benefits of outdoor play.
Designate space for indoor play
Indoor play can be just as important in encouraging the physical development of 4 to 5-year-olds. By setting up a designated play space inside, children can get active by completing treasure hunts, creating and navigating obstacle courses, and playing indoor ball games with soft balls.
Get creative
Enabling your child to participate in creative behaviours is a great way to build their fine motor skills. Give them pens, pencils, and paints so they can draw, write, and paint, or provide them with clay or playdough to model with. Other activities like jewellery making also require children to use precise and controlled movements.
Limit screentime
While phones, TVs, and games consoles can be entertaining for 4 to 5-year-olds, it is important for their physical development that they are encouraged to get up and active. Limiting screentime to one hour a day can help make sure your child is finding other ways of entertaining themselves that are better for the development of their physical skills.
Encourage independence
At 4 to 5 years old, children are starting to become more independent. Encouraging this independence can aid their physical development. Allowing your children to do things like feeding and dressing themselves independently can build their coordination and confidence.
Sovereign Play’s Physical Development Outdoor Play Equipment
At Sovereign Play, we understand the importance of outdoor playgrounds in providing safe, exciting, and engaging spaces where children can explore and develop their physical, social, and educational skills.
With over 30 years of experience in creating bespoke playgrounds for councils, nurseries, and primary schools, our team of experts are dedicated to helping you create the perfect playground for your needs.
Our services include:
Explore our range of physical development playground equipment, or contact us today to find out how we can help you create a playground suited to you.
