Age appropriate skill development

How do we know if a movement skill is "just right" for the age we’re teaching? In this episode we unpack the stages of motor development and explore why building strong foundations in the early years matters for confidence, cognition, and lifelong physical activity. From reflexes to fundamental movement skills, you’ll learn how to plan intentional, age-appropriate activities that truly support every child’s growth in body, mind, and brain! 

Music by amado zapana from Pixabay

Transcript

Hi everyone, and welcome back to the podcast where we explore what Health and Physical Education really looks like in early childhood and primary classrooms. I’m Nat, and today, we’re chatting about something that underpins all good HPE teaching: age-appropriate skill development.

Now, if you’ve ever wondered how to know what movement or motor skills children should be learning—and when—you’re not alone. Understanding developmental stages is key to helping children grow their confidence, capability, and love for movement.

Let’s start at the beginning, literally.

Babies begin life in the reflexive movement phase, where actions like sucking or grasping happen automatically in response to stimuli. These primitive reflexes are crucial for survival and lay the groundwork for later movement. As the brain develops, babies move into postural reflexes, where we start to see more voluntary control, head-lifting, rolling, and eventually sitting.

By the time a child is around 6 months to 2 years old, they enter the rudimentary movement phase. You’ll notice they start controlling their posture, crawling, walking, reaching, and grasping objects. Play during this phase is vital it helps children develop gross and fine motor skills and supports their emotional, social, and cognitive growth.

Then we reach what many of you are probably most familiar with in your classrooms: the fundamental movement phase, typically between 2 and 6 years old. This is when children begin developing skills like running, jumping, catching, throwing, kicking, and balancing.

These are called Fundamental Movement Skills, or FMS. They are the building blocks for more complex movement needed in games, dance, and sports later on.

But here’s the thing these skills don’t develop on their own.

Children need explicit instruction, lots of practice, and plenty of encouragement to master them. Research shows it can take anywhere from 4 to 10 hours of quality instruction and feedback for a child to consistently perform one fundamental movement skill correctly. That’s a lot more than one lesson!

So what does that mean for your teaching?

Well, first don’t rush. It’s totally normal for some children to be still developing the basics in Year 2 or even Year 3. That’s why in the Australian Curriculum, we introduce these skills in Prep to Year 3, and aim for mastery by Year 4 to Year 6, when students begin applying these skills in more structured games and movement sequences.

And if those fundamentals aren’t solid? Children may struggle in team sports or feel embarrassed to participate which can turn them off movement altogether. That’s why your role in these early years is so important.

Let’s take the overhand throw as an example.
 It might start as a basic action in Prep, but over time, with guidance, feedback, and practice, it evolves into a skill used confidently in sports like cricket, netball, or softball. The same goes for jumping, dodging, and striking what looks simple is actually complex when you break it down.

Another important idea I want to touch on today is the connection between movement and the brain.
 We now know that physical activity isn’t just good for physical development it’s crucial for cognitive and emotional development too. Regular movement improves memory, attention, mood regulation, and even social skills. The phrase “healthy, active kids are better learners” isn’t just a slogan it’s backed by neuroscience.

When we engage children in movement that challenges coordination, balance, and spatial awareness like jumping rope, navigating obstacle courses, or following dance sequences we’re activating the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex. These are key areas of the brain involved in decision-making, learning, and self-regulation.

That’s where Perceptual and Sensory Motor Programs come in. These programs use activities to help children process and respond to sensory information things like touch, sound, movement, and spatial positioning. For some students, these programs help prepare them for learning. For others, they offer remedial support to strengthen underdeveloped motor pathways.

As Capon said back in 1975 before a child can learn that “p” is down and “b” is up, they must first learn what their own body feels like when they are up or down. Directionality begins in the body, not on the page.

So what does this mean for your lesson planning?

Well, it means building in movement experiences that are not just fun and active but intentional and developmentally appropriate. Start with what’s achievable for the age and stage of your learners, then scaffold from there.

Here are a few quick takeaways to keep in mind:

• Know the phases of motor development, so you can support children at their current level and stretch them when they’re ready.
• Focus on fundamentals. Repetition, play-based learning, and lots of encouragement help embed skills.
• Use FMS as the foundation—and remember it’s okay if mastery doesn’t happen all at once.
• Incorporate perceptual-motor activities to support brain development and learning readiness.
• And finally, remember that every child develops differently. Some may leap ahead, others need more time and that’s okay.

Thanks for joining me today on The Heart of HPE.
If you’re planning your next unit, take a moment to reflect: What age-appropriate movement experiences are you including? How are you helping your students feel confident in their bodies?

Until next time, keep moving, keep observing, and keep supporting your learners to thrive through HPE