Gross motor goals for preschoolers
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A preschool gross motor goal names the movement, where the child uses it in the day, and a number you can measure: seconds, feet, steps or trials. For example: during outdoor play, the child will walk up and down 4 playground steps with alternating feet and 1 hand on the rail in 4 of 5 trials across 2 weeks.
Gross motor skills are the large movements of the arms, legs and trunk. In preschool, goals for them are about getting into the game. A child who cannot climb the playground ladder stands at the bottom while peers go down the slide. A child who falls when getting up from the carpet is last to line up. The goal should name that routine, not a skill on a clinic mat.
The 20 goals below are grouped by area. Each one names the routine, the movement and a measure with units. Baselines are illustrations of the format, not norms. For the other preschool areas, see the preschool IEP goals pillar.
Where gross motor goals fit in a preschool IEP
Physical therapy is a related service: the IEP team adds it when a child needs it to benefit from special education.[1] A PT goal should therefore connect to the child's school day. "Hops on one foot 10 times" matters if hopscotch is a recess game the child wants to join. It matters less as a skill in itself. Pediatric physical therapists work on movement for play, school and daily life, and the school version of that is the classroom routine.[3]
Some children need gross motor goals without PT. A classroom teacher can embed balance, ball play and stair practice in outdoor time, with the PT consulting. Adapted physical education may also apply for older preschoolers in programs with PE.
Do not set a target from a list of ages on a website. The CDC milestone checklist describes movement skills most children show by each age, and it is a useful screen for families.[2] It is not an IEP target. Set the target from the child's own baseline.
How to choose a gross motor goal
| What you see in the classroom | Area to target | How to measure | Template |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falls when stepping over toys or standing on one foot for shoes | Balance | Seconds held; steps on a line | Balance on one foot |
| Avoids the playground steps or ladder; steps one at a time | Stairs and playground equipment | Trials with alternating feet; steps of a task analysis | Stairs alternating feet |
| Cannot keep up in running games or jump over a line | Running, jumping and hopping | Distance in inches; trials | Jump forward with both feet |
| Cannot join ball games at recess | Ball skills | Catches or hits out of trials | Catch with two hands |
| Slumps at circle; struggles to get up from the floor | Posture and floor transitions | Minutes upright; transitions without help | Sit upright for group |
| Gets lost in obstacle courses; cannot copy movements | Motor planning | Steps of a course done in order | Obstacle course |
All templates for this area are on the gross motor goals page, with a preschool view.
Worked example: balance for putting on shoes
Kai is 4 years 6 months old. He falls when he lifts one foot to put on rain boots at the cubby, so an adult dresses him every day. The PT measures single-leg stance on 3 days with shoes on, on the classroom carpet, 3 tries per leg.
| Day | Right foot (best of 3) | Left foot (best of 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | 2 seconds | 1 second |
| Wed | 3 seconds | 1 second |
| Fri | 2 seconds | 2 seconds |
Kai's median best is 2 seconds on the right and 1 second on the left. Boots take about 5 seconds per foot when he holds the cubby. So the goal pairs balance with the real routine: "During outdoor play and dressing routines, Kai will stand on each foot for 5 seconds without holding on, in 4 of 5 trials per foot across 3 sessions." A second, functional goal targets putting on boots while holding the cubby edge. The duration data sheet holds the seconds.
Balance goals
| # | Goal | Baseline (illustrative) | Template |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | During outdoor play and dressing routines, the child will stand on each foot for 5 seconds without holding on in 4 of 5 trials per foot across 3 sessions. | Median 2 seconds right, 1 second left | mt-gm-001 |
| 2 | During a movement game, the child will walk forward along a 6-foot tape line or 4-inch-wide low beam without stepping off in 4 of 5 trials. | Steps off after 3 feet | mt-gm-002 |
| 3 | During a line-walking game, the child will walk backward 6 feet along a tape line, stepping off no more than once, in 3 of 4 trials across 2 weeks. | Steps off 4 times | mt-gm-038 |
| 4 | While moving through the classroom, the child will step over toys and floor mats up to 4 inches high without falling or touching an adult on 4 of 5 observed days. | Falls or holds on most days | mt-gm-002 |
Weak: "Kai will improve his balance."
Measurable: "During outdoor play and dressing routines, Kai will stand on each foot for 5 seconds without holding on in 4 of 5 trials per foot across 3 sessions."
Stairs and playground goals
| # | Goal | Baseline (illustrative) | Template |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | During outdoor play, the child will walk up and down 4 playground steps with alternating feet and 1 hand on the rail in 4 of 5 trials across 2 weeks. | Steps one at a time; 0 of 5 alternating | mt-gm-003 |
| 6 | During outdoor play, the child will climb the 5-rung playground ladder, sit at the top and go down the slide with no physical help, completing 5 of 5 steps on 4 of 5 days. | 2 of 5 steps | mt-gm-015 |
| 7 | On the swing, the child will pump their legs to keep the swing moving for 1 minute after an initial push on 3 of 4 tries. | Swing stops within 15 seconds | mt-gm-041 |
| 8 | On the tricycle path, the child will pedal a tricycle or adapted trike 50 feet, steering around 2 cones, in 3 of 4 trials across 2 weeks. | Pushes with feet on the ground | mt-gm-016 |
Goal 6 uses a task analysis because the ladder and slide is a chain of steps. The task analysis data sheet lists each step and marks independent or helped.
Weak: "Mia will use the playground equipment safely."
Measurable: "During outdoor play, Mia will climb the 5-rung playground ladder, sit at the top and go down the slide with no physical help, completing 5 of 5 steps on 4 of 5 days."
Running, jumping and hopping goals
| # | Goal | Baseline (illustrative) | Template |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | During a movement game, the child will jump forward with both feet together, taking off and landing without falling, a distance of at least 18 inches in 4 of 5 trials. | 6 inches; lands on one foot | mt-gm-008 |
| 10 | During a chase or relay game, the child will run 30 feet across the gym or playground without falling, with arms swinging, in 4 of 5 trials across 3 sessions. | Falls on 2 of 5 runs | mt-gm-010 |
| 11 | During a freeze game, the child will stop within 2 steps of the signal and change direction in 4 of 5 signals across 2 weeks. | Stops after 4 or more steps | mt-gm-055 |
| 12 | During circle music time, the child will march to a drum beat, lifting each knee, for 8 consecutive beats in 3 of 4 songs. | 2 beats, then walks | mt-gm-039 |
Weak: "Leo will jump."
Measurable: "During a movement game, Leo will jump forward with both feet together, taking off and landing without falling, a distance of at least 18 inches in 4 of 5 trials."
Ball skill goals
| # | Goal | Baseline (illustrative) | Template |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | During outdoor play, the child will catch an 8-inch playground ball tossed from 5 feet using 2 hands, in 7 of 10 tosses across 3 sessions. | 2 of 10 tosses | mt-gm-011 |
| 14 | During a game, the child will roll a ball to a partner sitting 6 feet away so it reaches the partner in 8 of 10 rolls. | 3 of 10 rolls | mt-gm-037 |
| 15 | During a beanbag game, the child will toss a beanbag underhand into a hoop 4 feet away in 5 of 10 tosses on 3 weekly probes. | 1 of 10 tosses | mt-gm-040 |
| 16 | During outdoor play, the child will kick a still ball toward a 4-foot-wide goal from 6 feet so it goes in or touches the goal in 6 of 10 kicks. | 2 of 10 kicks | mt-gm-013 |
The criteria vary on purpose. Catching and kicking at a target have natural misses even for skilled players, so 6 or 7 of 10 is a fair finish line. Rolling to a seated partner is easier to control, so 8 of 10 fits.
Weak: "Sam will improve ball skills."
Measurable: "During outdoor play, Sam will catch an 8-inch playground ball tossed from 5 feet using 2 hands, in 7 of 10 tosses across 3 sessions."
Posture and floor transition goals
| # | Goal | Baseline (illustrative) | Template |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | During a 10-minute circle, the child will sit upright on the carpet or in a cube chair without lying down or leaning on a peer for at least 8 minutes on 4 of 5 days. | Median 3 minutes | mt-gm-007 |
| 18 | At the end of circle, the child will get up from sitting on the floor to standing without using an adult or furniture within 5 seconds in 4 of 5 transitions. | Pulls up on an adult daily | mt-gm-006 |
Posture goals can be as much about the chair as the child. If a cube chair solves it, that is an accommodation, not a goal. See preschool accommodations for how to write seating supports.
Weak: "Ava will sit appropriately at circle."
Measurable: "During a 10-minute circle, Ava will sit upright on the carpet or in a cube chair without lying down or leaning on a peer for at least 8 minutes on 4 of 5 days."
Motor planning goals
| # | Goal | Baseline (illustrative) | Template |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | During a 4-station obstacle course (over a bench, under a rope, through a tunnel, around a cone), the child will complete each station in order with no more than 1 verbal cue, 4 of 4 stations on 3 of 4 courses. | 2 of 4 stations | mt-gm-017 |
| 20 | During a "Simon says" or movement song, the child will copy a leader's body position (arms up, one foot up, touch toes) within 3 seconds in 8 of 10 positions. | 4 of 10 positions | mt-gm-018 |
Motor planning problems often look like "not listening" in a movement game. Copying a position is a cleaner probe than following a spoken direction, because it takes language out of the score.
Weak: "Noah will follow directions in gym."
Measurable: "During a 4-station obstacle course, Noah will complete each station in order with no more than 1 verbal cue, 4 of 4 stations on 3 of 4 courses."
How to measure gross motor goals
Pick the unit that fits the movement and keep the setup the same every time: the same ball, the same distance, the same surface.
| Goal type | Unit | Data tool |
|---|---|---|
| Balance, sitting | Seconds or minutes | Duration data sheet |
| Jumping, pedaling, walking a line | Inches or feet | A tape measure and the accuracy data sheet with distance in the notes |
| Catching, kicking, tossing | Hits out of trials | Accuracy data sheet |
| Playground routines, obstacle courses | Steps done independently | Task analysis data sheet |
Probe once a week or every 2 weeks. Movement skills can vary a lot by day, footwear and fatigue, so note shoes and the time of day. The PT can take the formal probe and train the teacher to take a quick check during outdoor time.
Short-term objectives for gross motor goals
For goal 5 (stairs), objectives could read:
- By December, the child will walk up 4 steps with alternating feet and 1 hand on the rail in 4 of 5 trials.
- By March, the child will walk up and down 4 steps with alternating feet and 1 hand on the rail in 4 of 5 trials.
- By May, the child will do the same on the playground steps during free play on 4 of 5 observed days.
The last step moves the skill from a practice trial to the real routine.
Adapting gross motor goals by age and support
| Level | Focus | Example change to goal 13 (catching) |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool, age 3 | Trapping a large ball against the body | "Catch a 10-inch ball tossed from 3 feet, trapping it against the chest" |
| Preschool, age 4 to 5 | Two-hand catch with hands only | "Catch an 8-inch ball tossed from 5 feet with 2 hands" |
| Kindergarten | Smaller ball, game play | "Catch a 6-inch ball during a recess game with peers" |
| Uses a walker or wheelchair | Ball skills from a stable seat | "From the wheelchair, catch a lightweight 10-inch ball tossed from 4 feet" |
For children who use mobility equipment, see the functional mobility goals for preschool. For school-age PT goals, see physical therapy IEP goals, and for how PT and OT split the work, OT vs PT in schools. Hand skills sit on the sibling page for fine motor goals for preschoolers. Paste each draft into the goal checker before the meeting.
Frequently asked questions
What are examples of gross motor goals for preschoolers?
Common ones cover balance, stairs and playground equipment, jumping and running, ball skills, sitting posture at circle and obstacle courses. Each should name the routine, such as outdoor play, and a measure in seconds, feet, steps or trials.
Who writes gross motor goals in a preschool IEP?
Usually the physical therapist, with the classroom teacher. When a child does not need PT, the teacher can write and teach gross motor goals during outdoor play and movement time, with the PT consulting if the team decides that helps.
Can I use developmental milestones as gross motor IEP targets?
Use them to orient the team, not as targets. Milestone checklists describe what most children can do at an age. An IEP target should come from the child's own baseline and the growth that is reasonable in one year.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Gross motor goals (motor skills)
- Gross motor goals for preschool
- Gross motor skills in the IEP glossary
- Preschool IEP goals
- Duration data sheet
- Task analysis data sheet
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- IEP goals for preschoolers: examples by area
- How to write IEP goals for preschoolers
- Fine motor goals for preschoolers
- Physical therapy IEP goals: examples for school-based PT
- Preschool accommodations: 12 examples written for the IEP
- IEP vs IFSP: early intervention and preschool plans compared
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.34: Related services, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- CDC's Developmental Milestones, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- APTA Pediatrics, Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy, American Physical Therapy Association
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.