What does physical education look like this year?

Students practice basic ways of moving: running, jumping, hopping, skipping, balancing, bending, and tossing or catching a ball. They learn to play and move safely with others. Most of the year is about building body control and confidence, not about sports or winning.

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

Set aside ten minutes a day for active play. Roll, toss, and catch a soft ball. Practice hopping on one foot, balancing on a line of tape, or skipping across the yard. Short, regular play does more than one long session on the weekend.

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

Probably not. Kindergarteners develop coordination at very different rates, and the gap usually closes with practice. Give plenty of low-pressure chances to run, climb, throw, and balance. If a specific movement still looks very difficult after months of practice, mention it to the teacher or pediatrician.

How should motor skills be sequenced across the year?

Start with locomotor skills like walking, running, and jumping in open space. Add non-locomotor skills such as bending, twisting, and balancing. Bring in manipulative skills like rolling, tossing, and catching once students can control their own bodies in shared space.

Do students need to play organized sports at this age?

No. Kindergarten is too early for real games with rules and positions. Students get more out of tag, obstacle courses, dance, and simple partner activities. Sports skills come later, once the basic movements are solid.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Catching, skipping, and galloping are the toughest for most kindergarteners. Expect to revisit them all year with different equipment and games. Throwing with the opposite foot forward also takes repeated modeling.

How do I teach safety and sharing space without killing the fun?

Use short cues like freeze, bubble space, and eyes up, and practice them inside quick games rather than long lectures. Stop the activity the moment a rule slips, fix it in one sentence, and start again. Students learn the routines faster when the activity keeps moving.

How do I know my child is ready for first grade physical education?

Students should be able to run, jump, hop, and gallop without falling, balance on one foot for a few seconds, and toss and catch a large ball at close range. They should also follow simple directions, take turns, and play near other children without constant reminders.

What if my child says they hate gym?

Ask what part feels hard, since the answer is often a specific skill or a noisy room rather than movement itself. Practice that one skill at home in a calm setting so it feels easier at school. Keep talking about movement as play, not as a test.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement becomes a skill students practice on purpose. Students learn to run, hop, skip, gallop, throw, catch, and kick with more control, and they start to notice how their body feels when it moves. They also practice taking turns, sharing space safely, and following directions during games. By spring, students can move through a simple activity with a partner, keep their hands and feet to themselves, and name one reason being active feels good.

Running and hopping
Throwing and catching
Body awareness
Taking turns
Sharing space safely
Healthy habits

Source: Massachusetts Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks

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 together
Students learn how to move around a shared space without bumping into classmates. They practice starting, stopping, and listening for signals during games.
2
Running, hopping, and jumping
Students build the basic ways the body travels. They run, hop, skip, and gallop, and start to notice which muscles get tired and why their hearts beat faster.
3
Throwing, catching, and kicking
Students try out skills with balls and beanbags. They practice tossing to a partner, catching with two hands, and kicking a ball toward a target.
4
Playing fair with others
Students take turns, share equipment, and cheer on classmates during simple games. They practice working with a partner and using kind words when something goes wrong.
5
Finding activities students enjoy
Students try a wider mix of games and movement activities and start to notice which ones they like best. They talk about why moving every day feels good.

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

MA-PE.1.k

Students practice basic ways to move their bodies: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. Building these skills early helps students stay active and feel confident moving in games and everyday life.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

MA-PE.2.k

Students learn basic ideas about how their bodies move and stay healthy, then put those ideas to use during active play and exercise.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

MA-PE.3.k

Students practice getting along while they move. They take turns, listen to classmates, and treat others fairly during games and activities.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

MA-PE.4.k

Students practice basic movement skills like jumping, balancing, and tossing, and start to notice how moving makes their body feel. The goal is building the habit of staying active.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice basic ways to move their bodies: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. Building these skills early helps students stay active and feel confident moving in games and everyday life.	MA-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 use during active play and exercise.	MA-PE.2.k
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice getting along while they move. They take turns, listen to classmates, and treat others fairly during games and activities.	MA-PE.3.k
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice basic movement skills like jumping, balancing, and tossing, and start to notice how moving makes their body feel. The goal is building the habit of staying active.	MA-PE.4.k

Physical Education

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

MA-PE.1.k

Students practice basic ways to move their bodies: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. Building these skills early helps students stay active and feel confident moving in games and everyday life.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

MA-PE.2.k

Students learn basic ideas about how their bodies move and stay healthy, then put those ideas to use during active play and exercise.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

MA-PE.3.k

Students practice getting along while they move. They take turns, listen to classmates, and treat others fairly during games and activities.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

MA-PE.4.k

Students practice basic movement skills like jumping, balancing, and tossing, and start to notice how moving makes their body feel. The goal is building the habit of staying active.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice basic ways to move their bodies: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. Building these skills early helps students stay active and feel confident moving in games and everyday life.	MA-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 use during active play and exercise.	MA-PE.2.k
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice getting along while they move. They take turns, listen to classmates, and treat others fairly during games and activities.	MA-PE.3.k
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice basic movement skills like jumping, balancing, and tossing, and start to notice how moving makes their body feel. The goal is building the habit of staying active.	MA-PE.4.k

Common Questions

What does physical education look like this year?
Students practice basic ways of moving: running, jumping, hopping, skipping, balancing, bending, and tossing or catching a ball. They learn to play and move safely with others. Most of the year is about building body control and confidence, not about sports or winning.
How can I help my child build movement skills at home?
Set aside ten minutes a day for active play. Roll, toss, and catch a soft ball. Practice hopping on one foot, balancing on a line of tape, or skipping across the yard. Short, regular play does more than one long session on the weekend.
My child seems clumsy compared to other kids. Should I worry?
Probably not. Kindergarteners develop coordination at very different rates, and the gap usually closes with practice. Give plenty of low-pressure chances to run, climb, throw, and balance. If a specific movement still looks very difficult after months of practice, mention it to the teacher or pediatrician.
How should motor skills be sequenced across the year?
Start with locomotor skills like walking, running, and jumping in open space. Add non-locomotor skills such as bending, twisting, and balancing. Bring in manipulative skills like rolling, tossing, and catching once students can control their own bodies in shared space.
Do students need to play organized sports at this age?
No. Kindergarten is too early for real games with rules and positions. Students get more out of tag, obstacle courses, dance, and simple partner activities. Sports skills come later, once the basic movements are solid.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Catching, skipping, and galloping are the toughest for most kindergarteners. Expect to revisit them all year with different equipment and games. Throwing with the opposite foot forward also takes repeated modeling.
How do I teach safety and sharing space without killing the fun?
Use short cues like freeze, bubble space, and eyes up, and practice them inside quick games rather than long lectures. Stop the activity the moment a rule slips, fix it in one sentence, and start again. Students learn the routines faster when the activity keeps moving.
How do I know my child is ready for first grade physical education?
Students should be able to run, jump, hop, and gallop without falling, balance on one foot for a few seconds, and toss and catch a large ball at close range. They should also follow simple directions, take turns, and play near other children without constant reminders.
What if my child says they hate gym?
Ask what part feels hard, since the answer is often a specific skill or a noisy room rather than movement itself. Practice that one skill at home in a calm setting so it feels easier at school. Keep talking about movement as play, not as a test.