Gross Motor Milestones

Gross motor skills is our ability to work with our whole body with coordinated movements. Some activities that require gross motor skills include: catching and throwing a ball, jumping, running, hopping, skipping, and even dressing yourself! I often tell parents that kids are usually ready to start dressing themselves once they can catch a playground ball (because both dressing and catching takes coordination of your arms). 

Children with neurodevelopmental diagnoses (i.e. autism spectrum disorder) are often impacted in their motor skills, because motor coordination come from your neuromuscular system (wiring of your brain cells and muscles).

In OT and PT, we will use standardized assessments to find out your child's current developmental level with gross motor skills. Please see below for gross motor developmental milestones. Remember that everyone goes through roughly the same steps, but at their own rate! We'll meet the child wherever they are right now to help them get to the next level: we use a play-based, intrinsically motivated approach at the just-right challenge. 

Gross Motor Developmental Milestones Resources: Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC-2) Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, 2nd Edition (PDMS-2)

6-9 months Sits unsupported for 60 seconds (6 months) Rolls in lying (7 months) Crawls forward on hands and knees (9 months) Scoots in sitting (9 months) Raises to a standing position using stable object for support (9 months)

9-12 months Walks 8 feet (12 months)

12-18 months Rolls and flings ball (13 months) Throws ball (16 months) Walks backward 5 steps (18 months) Walks down stairs with support from finger in standing (18 months)

18-24 months Runs (20 months) Kicks ball forward 3 feet (20 months) Throws ball 3 feet forward

24-30 months  Jumps up with 2 feet together, and jumps down 1 step (24 months) Throws ball 7 feet Kicks ball 6 feet forward

30-36 months Jumps forward 24 inches Walks up 4 steps without support while alternating feet (36 months) Catches ball (34 months) Stands on 1 foot for 3 seconds

36-42 months Walks on a line for 4 feet without stepping off Stands on 1 foot for 5 seconds

42-48 months Walks down 4 steps without support, while alternating feet Jumps forward on 1 foot Hits target (2'x2') from 5 feet away with tennis ball

48-54 months Hops forward on 1 foot for 5 steps Stands on tiptoes with arms overhead Gallops Catches tennis ball from 5 feet away

54-60 months Stands on 1 foot for 10 seconds Jumps sideways back and forth

60-72 months Skips Bounces and catches tennis ball Dribbles

Learn More: 
​Motor and Self-Help Milestones
Speech Milestones