North Carolina Early Learning and Development Progressions: Birth to Five

Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Health and Physical Development (HPD)

Subdomain: Motor Development

Goal: Children develop the large muscle control and abilities needed to move through and explore their environment.

Skill Progression: Ball skills

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List of Skills by Age

1-2 Months

No observable skill

2-4 Months

No observable skill

4-6 Months

No observable skill

6-8 Months

No observable skill

8-10 Months

No observable skill

10-12 Months

Throws objects

Rolls a ball toward an adult

12-15 Months

Catches ball when rolled between his legs while sitting

Kicks ball while holding on for support

15-18 Months

Throws underhand while sitting

Walks into a ball to try to kick it

18-21 Months

Throws a ball into a close box

Tries to kick a ball but may miss or kick a side of the ball

21-24 Months

Catches a large ball that is close with arms straight out

Flings ball toward a target

Kicks ball forward with either foot

24-27 Months

Throws ball overhead

27-30 Months

Catches a large ball that is close with arms bent

Swings leg to kick a ball

30-33 Months

Catches medium-sized ball thrown from distance of 5 feet or more with arms straight out

33-36 Months

Catches a medium ball thrown from distance of 5 feet or more against the body

Rolls a ball in a bowling game

36-42 Months

Throws a ball 5-7 feet

42-48 Months

Catches a ball with elbows bent in front of body

Throws a ball overhanded

48-54 Months

Uses forward weight shift to throw ball further; throws with some directional accuracy

Begins to dribble a ball

54-60 Months

Catches small ball by adjusting body position in line with the ball and elbows at sides

Throws and releases a ball smoothly with accurate directionality

Steps forward with same leg as throwing arm

 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 2015

©2015 by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.