How movement builds the foundation for lifelong success

If you’ve ever watched a preschooler concentrate on hopping across a line or proudly throw a ball farther than ever before, you’ve witnessed more than just play — you’ve seen development in motion. Between the ages of two and five, children experience one of the most rapid bursts of motor skill growth they’ll ever have. This period is like a window of opportunity, where the body and brain work together to master the fundamental movements that set the stage for everything from sports to handwriting.

The early years aren’t just about learning to move; they’re about learning through movement. These motor milestones form the building blocks of health, confidence, and academic readiness. And the best part? The process is meant to be joyful.

What Are Motor Skills — and Why Do They Matter?

Motor skills are the coordinated movements our bodies make when we interact with the world. In childhood development, they’re often divided into two main categories:

• Gross motor skills, which involve large muscle groups — running, jumping, throwing, balancing, and climbing.
• Fine motor skills, which use smaller muscles in the hands and fingers — grasping, cutting, drawing, and manipulating objects.

From the outside, these may seem like simple childhood activities. But behind every successful jump or accurate catch, there’s a complex network of neural communication happening between the brain, muscles, and sensory systems. These skills are the “hardware” of development — the physical framework that supports everything from emotional control to problem-solving.

A 2019 study in Frontiers in Psychology found that higher motor skill competence in preschool-aged children is directly linked with stronger executive functions — the mental abilities that help us plan, focus attention, and remember instructions.¹ This means that when a 4-year-old practices hopping or balancing, they’re not just improving physical coordination; they’re also training their brain to focus and persist.

The Milestone Years: Ages Two to Five

Each year in this age range represents a major developmental leap.

• At age two, children begin walking confidently, climbing stairs with assistance, and exploring new movements like running or throwing a ball.
  
• By age three, many can jump with both feet, pedal a tricycle, and catch a large ball with some accuracy.
  
• At age four, balance and coordination improve dramatically — they can hop on one foot, climb with ease, and start following more complex movement patterns.
  
• By age five, children often move fluidly through different motor tasks, combining agility, rhythm, and spatial awareness.

Each of these milestones builds upon the last, creating the foundation for more advanced physical abilities — and even cognitive and emotional skills.

Movement and the Growing Brain

Research in child development consistently shows that movement and brain development are deeply interconnected. When children engage in physical play, the brain builds neural connections in areas responsible for coordination, timing, and control. These networks overlap with regions tied to attention, language, and emotional regulation.

A major review published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that preschoolers with stronger motor skills tend to have higher levels of perceived competence and are more likely to remain active as they age.² This sense of mastery — “I can do this!” — becomes a powerful motivator, driving curiosity and self-confidence in both physical and non-physical tasks.

In short: every ball thrown, every jump landed, and every balance beam crossed is wiring the brain for success.

The Role of Play in Skill Development

Unstructured play is the natural way children learn motor skills. When kids run, climb, crawl, or roll, they’re testing their limits, refining balance, and learning cause and effect. Play teaches the physics of their own bodies — how hard to push, when to slow down, and how to recover from mistakes.

Yet, structured play — guided by trained adults — adds another layer of growth. Research from the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity shows that children in structured movement programs demonstrate faster improvements in motor competence compared to those who engage in free play alone.³

Structured play introduces intentional repetition, feedback, and progression — all wrapped in fun, story-driven activities that hold a child’s attention.

For example, an instructor might turn a balance drill into a “tightrope walk over lava,” or a hopping exercise into a “bunny race.” These small creative twists transform motor learning into joyful exploration.

Barriers to Development in the Modern World

Despite what we know, many children are reaching kindergarten without mastering basic motor skills. A 2020 analysis by the CDC’s National Survey of Children’s Health revealed that roughly 25% of preschoolers lacked age-appropriate movement skills like hopping or throwing.⁴

Several factors contribute:

• Increased screen time — reducing opportunities for real-world movement.
  
• Limited outdoor access — especially in urban or weather-restricted environments.
  
• Over-scheduled routines — leaving little time for spontaneous play.
  
• Safety concerns — which often limit physical exploration.

The result? Children enter school with underdeveloped coordination and confidence — challenges that can ripple into social and academic struggles later. The good news is that these skills are highly teachable when nurtured early and consistently.

Parents as Partners in Motor Development

Parents play a central role in motor learning, often without realizing it. Everyday activities — helping pour cereal, tossing a soft ball, drawing with crayons, playing chase in the backyard — all build strength and coordination. The key is variety and consistency.

Experts recommend a mix of:

• Free play, where children make choices and explore movement independently.
• Guided play, where adults introduce specific challenges (“Can you hop to the tree?”).
• Structured programs, where children learn under the guidance of trained instructors.

Small, regular doses of movement throughout the day — 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there — add up to big developmental gains.

The Value of Professional Enrichment Programs

This is where enrichment programs like Kidokinetics step in. They fill a vital gap between home play and organized sports. Designed specifically for early childhood, these programs introduce children to a variety of sports and physical activities in an environment that feels more like playtime than training.

Classes often feature age-appropriate tools — lightweight balls, colorful cones, parachutes, and foam balance beams — to create a safe and engaging environment. Each activity targets different developmental domains: gross and fine motor coordination, hand-eye tracking, balance, and spatial awareness.

Beyond physical benefits, structured programs promote patience, teamwork, and self-regulation — skills that make children more adaptable in social and classroom settings.

Kidokinetics: Helping Kids Move, Learn, and Grow

At www.kidokinetics.com, movement is the method — but growth is the goal. Kidokinetics specializes in multi-sport enrichment designed to develop foundational motor skills for children ages two through ten. The curriculum draws on child development research and is taught by certified coaches who understand both physical progression and the psychology of motivation.

In every class, children explore different ways to move — rolling, running, balancing, tossing, jumping — each linked to key developmental milestones. The emphasis is on fun and progress over perfection. As kids succeed in small challenges, their confidence soars, and they begin to associate physical activity with joy and accomplishment.

Parents notice the difference — improved coordination, greater attention span, and more self-assuredness. Schools and childcare centers see the added value too: calmer classrooms, happier students, and children better prepared for the structured environment of learning.

Every Movement Counts

When we think about early education, we often focus on letters and numbers. But the building blocks of learning start with movement. Before a child can write, they must control their hand. Before they can focus on a book, they must learn to sit upright and still. Movement precedes mastery — it’s the original language of learning.

So the next time a preschooler races across the playground or proudly shows off a new skill, remember: those small steps are giant leaps for their development. Early play doesn’t just teach them how to move — it teaches them how to thrive.

References

1. van der Fels, I. et al. (2019). Frontiers in Psychology. “The Relationship Between Motor Skills and Executive Function in Early Childhood.”

    

2. Robinson, L.E. et al. (2015). Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. “Motor Competence and Physical Activity in Childhood.”

    

3. Webster, E.K. et al. (2018). International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

    

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020). National Survey of Children’s Health.