Sitting, crawling, walking, grabbing etc. are the groundwork to physically play with friends and show independence in areas of living.
As with the other domains of the developmental milestones, Physical & Movement Skills do as well. The child demonstrates the ability to engage in gross motor activities (i.e. sit, crawl, walk) and fine motor activities (i.e. holding a marker or spoon). Physical skills are probably one of the first milestone domains parents notice a child meeting like when your baby took his/her first steps. A child with strong movement/physical skills sets the groundwork for him/her having the ability to physically play with friends on the playground and independence in areas of living and job market opportunities as an adult.
The chart below identifies several skills your child should demonstrate by age 12 months, 24 months, 36 months, 4 years old, and 5 years old for Physical & Movement Growth:
| Age | Physical & Movement Skills |
| 12 months (1 year) | Stands alone and walks at least 1 to 2 steps independently |
| Uses their thumb and pointer finger (pincer grasp) to pick up small objects | |
| Scribbles on paper with full hand grasp | |
| Points with pointer finger (index finger isolation) | |
| Removes socks and shoes and is tries to help with undressing |
| Age | Physical & Movement Skills |
| 24 months (2 years) | Kicks a ball, running, stands on tiptoe |
| Climbs onto furniture (chairs) and playground equipment independently | |
| Walks up and down stairs while holding onto railing, wall etc. | |
| Pulls down or off elastic waist band pants, shorts, skirts | |
| Can walk while carrying, pushing, or pulling toys and objects | |
| Uses scissors to cut paper |
| Age | Physical & Movement Skills |
| 36 months (3 years) | Cuts straight lines with scissors |
| Throws balls (tennis or baseball) overhand with one hand | |
| Catches large balls thrown from 5 feet (1.5 meters) away | |
| Pedals a tricycle or bicycle (don’t forget protective gear) | |
| Can button large buttons | |
| Copies/traces straight lines and circles | |
| Drinks from an open cup |
| Age | Physical & Movement Skills |
| 4 Years | Stands and hops one foot for 10 seconds or longer |
| Cuts out circles with scissors | |
| Zips jackets | |
| Copies “writing” of simple shapes, some letters, and numbers | |
| Discriminates between same vs different |
| Age | Physical & Movement Skills |
| 5 Years | Writes their name from memory |
| Colors within the lines | |
| Hops, skips, swings, and climbs | |
| Uses fork, spoon and knife (most times) |