EYFS Progression of Skills — Physical Development
Age-related progression of physical development skills across the EYFS framework, covering gross motor, fine motor, and handwriting from ages three to four through Reception.
Key content
3–4 years — gross motor: balancing, riding scooters/trikes/bikes, ball skills, going up stairs with alternate feet, skipping, hopping, one-leg balance, large-muscle movements for paint and flags, working with others to move large objects, matching physical skills to tasks and choosing appropriate resources.
3–4 years — fine motor/handwriting: comfortable grip with good control, dominant hand preference emerging, some print/letter knowledge in early writing, writing some or all of name, some letters accurately.
Reception — gross motor: refining fundamental movement skills (rolling, crawling, walking, jumping, running, hopping, skipping, climbing), developing fluency and grace, core muscle strength for posture, combining movements with ease, using large and small apparatus indoors and outdoors, ball skills (throwing, catching, kicking, passing, batting, aiming).
Reception — fine motor/handwriting: small motor skills for a range of tools (pencils), foundations of a fast, accurate, efficient handwriting style.