Introduction: Preschool and School-Aged Children: Merck Manual Home Edition

Children's Health Issues

Preschool and School-Aged Children

Introduction

In This Topic

Resources

Introduction

Share This

Between the ages of 1 and 13, children's physical, intellectual, and emotional capabilities expand tremendously. Children progress from barely tottering to running, jumping, and playing organized sports. At age 1, most children can utter only a few recognizable words. By age 10, most children can write book reports and use computers. Physical, intellectual, and social development, however, proceed at an individual pace.

Print Open table in new window

Milestones From Ages 18 Months to 6 Years
Age	Gross Motor Skills	Fine Motor Skills
18 months	Walks well Walks upstairs holding on	Draws vertical stroke Makes a tower of 4 cubes
2 years	Runs with coordination Climbs on furniture	Handles a spoon well Turns single book pages Makes a tower of 7 cubes
2½ years	Jumps Walks upstairs and downstairs unaided	Scribbles in a circular pattern Opens doors
3 years	Mature gait in walking Rides tricycle	Favors using one hand over the other Copies a circle
4 years	Walks downstairs, alternating feet Hops on 1 foot Throws ball overhand	Copies a cross Dresses self
5 years	Skips Catches a bounced ball	Copies a square Draws a person in 6 parts
6 years	Walks along a straight line from heel to toe	Writes name

Last full review/revision May 2006 by Eve R. Colson, MD

Buy the Book

Next: Physical Development

Audio

Figures

Photographs

Pronunciations

Sidebar

Tables

Videos