What does PE look like at this age?

Students practice basic ways of moving: running, jumping, hopping, skipping, balancing, and tossing or catching a ball. Most of the year is about trying movements in a safe space and getting more confident, not about competing or keeping score.

How can families support physical activity at home?

Aim for short bursts of active play most days, like a walk to the park, a game of tag, or tossing a soft ball back and forth. Ten to twenty minutes of moving together does more than any worksheet at this age.

What if a student is clumsy or behind their friends?

That is very normal at this age. Coordination grows with practice, so keep offering chances to climb, balance on a curb, kick a ball, or hop on one foot. Avoid comparing to siblings or classmates.

How do I sequence motor skills across the year?

Start with locomotor skills like walking, running, and jumping in open space, then layer in non-locomotor moves like bending, twisting, and balancing. Save manipulative skills like throwing, catching, and kicking for later units once students can control their bodies in shared space.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Skipping, galloping, and catching a tossed ball tend to lag behind running and jumping. Plan to revisit these in short warmups across multiple units rather than teaching them once and moving on.

How is social behavior part of PE?

A big piece of the year is learning to share space, take turns, follow signals like a whistle or freeze cue, and play without pushing or grabbing equipment. These habits get as much attention as the physical skills.

How do I handle students who refuse to participate?

Offer a smaller role first, like holding cones or being a partner watcher, and rotate them in once they feel safe. Most reluctance at this age comes from being unsure of the rules, not from defiance.

How will I know students are ready for first grade PE?

By spring, students should move around a busy gym without crashing, perform basic locomotor skills on cue, toss and catch a large ball at short distance, and follow simple rules in a group game. They should also name one or two reasons moving their body feels good.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement becomes a skill students practice on purpose. Students learn to run, jump, hop, skip, and gallop with more control, and they start to throw, catch, and kick simple objects. They also learn how to share space safely, take turns, and follow directions during games. By spring, students can move through an obstacle course without bumping into classmates and toss a ball to a partner who is ready to catch it.

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

Source: Delaware Delaware Content 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 safely in shared space
Students learn to walk, run, and stop on cue without bumping into classmates. They practice listening for signals and keeping their hands and feet to themselves during games.
2
Basic ways to move
Students try out skipping, hopping, galloping, and jumping. They also bend, twist, and balance in place, building the body control that early sports and playground games rely on.
3
Throwing, catching, and kicking
Students start working with balls and beanbags. They practice tossing underhand, catching with two hands, and kicking a ball toward a target.
4
Playing and getting along
Students take turns, share equipment, and play simple group games. They learn to follow rules, cheer for classmates, and handle winning and losing without big reactions.
5
Why moving feels good
Students notice what their body does when they run and play, like a faster heartbeat and warmer skin. They talk about why active play and rest both matter every day.

Mastery Learning Standards

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

Physical Education

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

DE-PE.1.k

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching objects. These early movement skills help build the habits that keep kids active for life.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

DE-PE.2.k

Students learn basic ideas about how their bodies move and stay healthy, then put those ideas to work during games and activities. For example, they might bend their knees to jump farther or move faster to get their heart pumping.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

DE-PE.3.k

Students practice taking turns, listening to others, and working as a group during movement activities. Games and exercises give them a chance to show respect and cooperate with classmates.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

DE-PE.4.k

Students practice basic movement skills and start to notice how being active makes them feel. The goal is to enjoy moving enough to keep doing it.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching objects. These early movement skills help build the habits that keep kids active for life.	DE-PE.1.k
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students learn basic ideas about how their bodies move and stay healthy, then put those ideas to work during games and activities. For example, they might bend their knees to jump farther or move faster to get their heart pumping.	DE-PE.2.k
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice taking turns, listening to others, and working as a group during movement activities. Games and exercises give them a chance to show respect and cooperate with classmates.	DE-PE.3.k
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice basic movement skills and start to notice how being active makes them feel. The goal is to enjoy moving enough to keep doing it.	DE-PE.4.k

Physical Education

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

DE-PE.1.k

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching objects. These early movement skills help build the habits that keep kids active for life.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

DE-PE.2.k

Students learn basic ideas about how their bodies move and stay healthy, then put those ideas to work during games and activities. For example, they might bend their knees to jump farther or move faster to get their heart pumping.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

DE-PE.3.k

Students practice taking turns, listening to others, and working as a group during movement activities. Games and exercises give them a chance to show respect and cooperate with classmates.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

DE-PE.4.k

Students practice basic movement skills and start to notice how being active makes them feel. The goal is to enjoy moving enough to keep doing it.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching objects. These early movement skills help build the habits that keep kids active for life.	DE-PE.1.k
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students learn basic ideas about how their bodies move and stay healthy, then put those ideas to work during games and activities. For example, they might bend their knees to jump farther or move faster to get their heart pumping.	DE-PE.2.k
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice taking turns, listening to others, and working as a group during movement activities. Games and exercises give them a chance to show respect and cooperate with classmates.	DE-PE.3.k
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice basic movement skills and start to notice how being active makes them feel. The goal is to enjoy moving enough to keep doing it.	DE-PE.4.k

Common Questions

What does PE look like at this age?
Students practice basic ways of moving: running, jumping, hopping, skipping, balancing, and tossing or catching a ball. Most of the year is about trying movements in a safe space and getting more confident, not about competing or keeping score.
How can families support physical activity at home?
Aim for short bursts of active play most days, like a walk to the park, a game of tag, or tossing a soft ball back and forth. Ten to twenty minutes of moving together does more than any worksheet at this age.
What if a student is clumsy or behind their friends?
That is very normal at this age. Coordination grows with practice, so keep offering chances to climb, balance on a curb, kick a ball, or hop on one foot. Avoid comparing to siblings or classmates.
How do I sequence motor skills across the year?
Start with locomotor skills like walking, running, and jumping in open space, then layer in non-locomotor moves like bending, twisting, and balancing. Save manipulative skills like throwing, catching, and kicking for later units once students can control their bodies in shared space.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Skipping, galloping, and catching a tossed ball tend to lag behind running and jumping. Plan to revisit these in short warmups across multiple units rather than teaching them once and moving on.
How is social behavior part of PE?
A big piece of the year is learning to share space, take turns, follow signals like a whistle or freeze cue, and play without pushing or grabbing equipment. These habits get as much attention as the physical skills.
How do I handle students who refuse to participate?
Offer a smaller role first, like holding cones or being a partner watcher, and rotate them in once they feel safe. Most reluctance at this age comes from being unsure of the rules, not from defiance.
How will I know students are ready for first grade PE?
By spring, students should move around a busy gym without crashing, perform basic locomotor skills on cue, toss and catch a large ball at short distance, and follow simple rules in a group game. They should also name one or two reasons moving their body feels good.