What does physical education look like at this age?

Students spend a lot of time moving in big and small ways. They practice running, jumping, hopping, balancing, and tossing or catching with hands and feet. The goal is comfort with their own body, not sports skills or competition.

How can I help my child build these skills at home?

Give students room to move every day. Play simple games like tag, hopping on one foot, rolling a ball back and forth, or kicking a soft ball outside. Ten or fifteen minutes of active play counts and adds up fast.

My child seems clumsy compared to other kids. Should I worry?

Probably not. Skills like skipping, catching, and balancing develop on very different timelines at this age. Steady practice with friendly, low-pressure activities almost always closes the gap by the early elementary years.

How should I sequence motor skills across the year?

Start with locomotor skills students already partly know, such as walking, running, and jumping. Layer in hopping, galloping, and skipping over the fall. Save manipulative skills like throwing, catching, and kicking for the middle and back half of the year, once balance is steadier.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Skipping, galloping, and catching a tossed ball are the slowest to click. Plan to revisit these in short bursts across many weeks rather than teaching them once. Expect a wide range in the same class.

How do social skills fit into a PE class this young?

Sharing space, taking turns, and listening for a signal to stop or start are part of every lesson. Activities work best in pairs or small groups before whole-class games. Cooperation gets more attention than competition.

What should students know about fitness and health at this age?

Mostly that moving feels good and that bodies need water, rest, and active play. Students should be able to notice when their heart beats fast or they feel out of breath. Formal fitness concepts come later.

How do I know a student is ready for kindergarten PE?

Students can run, jump, and stop on a signal without bumping into others. They can toss and catch a large ball with a partner most of the time. They can follow two-step directions in a group game and take turns with equipment.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement becomes practice, not just play. Students learn to run, jump, hop, and skip with more control, and they try simple skills like rolling, tossing, and catching a ball. They take turns, share space safely, and start to notice how their body feels when it moves. By spring, students can follow a few movement directions in a game and play alongside classmates without bumping or pushing.

Running and jumping
Throwing and catching
Taking turns
Following directions
Active play

Source: New Hampshire New Hampshire College and Career Ready Standards

Year at a glance

How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.

1
Moving in safe spaces
Students start the year learning to move around a room without bumping into anyone. They practice walking, running, and stopping when asked, and they learn what their own space looks like.
2
Hopping, jumping, and balancing
Students try out the big movements their bodies can do. They hop on one foot, jump with two feet, gallop, skip, and hold a balance for a few seconds at a time.
3
Throwing, catching, and kicking
Students start using balls and beanbags. They roll, toss, and catch with a partner, and they kick a ball toward a target. Aim and control matter more than speed.
4
Playing games with others
Students put their movement skills into simple group games. They take turns, follow directions, and cheer each other on. They also notice when their heart beats faster and why moving feels good.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Pre-Kindergarten.

Physical Education

Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor

NH-PE.1.pk

Students practice moving their bodies in basic ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. These early movement skills build the habits that keep kids active as they grow.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

NH-PE.2.pk

Students learn basic ideas about how their body moves and why staying active feels good. They use those ideas when they play, run, or join group activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

NH-PE.3.pk

Students practice taking turns, sharing space, and working with others during movement activities. These early habits build the basics of how to treat classmates well.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

NH-PE.4.pk

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways and start to notice how activity makes them feel. The goal is building a simple habit of choosing to move every day.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in basic ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. These early movement skills build the habits that keep kids active as they grow.	NH-PE.1.pk
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students learn basic ideas about how their body moves and why staying active feels good. They use those ideas when they play, run, or join group activities.	NH-PE.2.pk
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice taking turns, sharing space, and working with others during movement activities. These early habits build the basics of how to treat classmates well.	NH-PE.3.pk
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways and start to notice how activity makes them feel. The goal is building a simple habit of choosing to move every day.	NH-PE.4.pk

Physical Education

Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor

NH-PE.1.pk

Students practice moving their bodies in basic ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. These early movement skills build the habits that keep kids active as they grow.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

NH-PE.2.pk

Students learn basic ideas about how their body moves and why staying active feels good. They use those ideas when they play, run, or join group activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

NH-PE.3.pk

Students practice taking turns, sharing space, and working with others during movement activities. These early habits build the basics of how to treat classmates well.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

NH-PE.4.pk

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways and start to notice how activity makes them feel. The goal is building a simple habit of choosing to move every day.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in basic ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. These early movement skills build the habits that keep kids active as they grow.	NH-PE.1.pk
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students learn basic ideas about how their body moves and why staying active feels good. They use those ideas when they play, run, or join group activities.	NH-PE.2.pk
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice taking turns, sharing space, and working with others during movement activities. These early habits build the basics of how to treat classmates well.	NH-PE.3.pk
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways and start to notice how activity makes them feel. The goal is building a simple habit of choosing to move every day.	NH-PE.4.pk

Common Questions

What does physical education look like at this age?
Students spend a lot of time moving in big and small ways. They practice running, jumping, hopping, balancing, and tossing or catching with hands and feet. The goal is comfort with their own body, not sports skills or competition.
How can I help my child build these skills at home?
Give students room to move every day. Play simple games like tag, hopping on one foot, rolling a ball back and forth, or kicking a soft ball outside. Ten or fifteen minutes of active play counts and adds up fast.
My child seems clumsy compared to other kids. Should I worry?
Probably not. Skills like skipping, catching, and balancing develop on very different timelines at this age. Steady practice with friendly, low-pressure activities almost always closes the gap by the early elementary years.
How should I sequence motor skills across the year?
Start with locomotor skills students already partly know, such as walking, running, and jumping. Layer in hopping, galloping, and skipping over the fall. Save manipulative skills like throwing, catching, and kicking for the middle and back half of the year, once balance is steadier.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Skipping, galloping, and catching a tossed ball are the slowest to click. Plan to revisit these in short bursts across many weeks rather than teaching them once. Expect a wide range in the same class.
How do social skills fit into a PE class this young?
Sharing space, taking turns, and listening for a signal to stop or start are part of every lesson. Activities work best in pairs or small groups before whole-class games. Cooperation gets more attention than competition.
What should students know about fitness and health at this age?
Mostly that moving feels good and that bodies need water, rest, and active play. Students should be able to notice when their heart beats fast or they feel out of breath. Formal fitness concepts come later.
How do I know a student is ready for kindergarten PE?
Students can run, jump, and stop on a signal without bumping into others. They can toss and catch a large ball with a partner most of the time. They can follow two-step directions in a group game and take turns with equipment.