Which of the following is a gross motor skill typical of early childhood?

• A. Skipping
• B. Writing
• C. Buttoning a shirt
• D. Cutting with scissors

Answer: (A)

Gross motor skills involve large movements using the big muscles and balance. In early childhood, children rapidly develop locomotor skills like walking, running, jumping, and skipping. Skipping stands out because it blends coordinated leg movement with balance and rhythm, which are hallmarks of developing gross motor control at this age. The other tasks rely on fine motor skills—the precise use of small hand and finger muscles and eye-hand coordination—such as writing, buttoning a shirt, and cutting with scissors. Those fine motor abilities typically become more refined a bit later in preschool and into kindergarten. So skipping is the gross motor skill typical of early childhood.