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: Motor activities

You may choose a different domain, visit the page for this domain, or click on a skill below for more information.

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

No observable skill

12-15 Months

Pushes and pulls toys around the house or yard

15-18 Months

Maneuvers low climbers and baby slides

Makes rocking boat “go”

18-21 Months

Moves a ride-on toy with both feet together or alternating

21-24 Months

Rocks back-and-forth from one leg to another when dancing

Sits and rocks on a rocking horse or other rocking toy

24-27 Months

Moves up and down the slide at the park

27-30 Months

Begins to pedal a tricycle

30-33 Months

Climbs up and through playground equipment, such as ramps and slides

33-36 Months

Uses pedals on tricycle alternately

Climbs ladders and jungle gyms

Imitate bilateral movements like moving arms and legs together in a exercise or dance

36-42 Months

Pulls and pushes a wagon

Jumps on mini-trampoline

Activities: Drives any pedal car

42-48 Months

Steers a tricycle around obstacles

Hits a stationary ball with a small golf club toward a target

Hits a large plastic ball with a large plastic bat

48-54 Months

Plays tee-ball and basketball with a low hoop

Imitates simple gymnastic moves

Completes a version of a somersault

54-60 Months

Imitates a variety of actions in a game or song

Skates or rides a scooter

May ride a two-wheel bike

 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/.