How old was your child(ren) when he/she could skip comfortably?

[Holiztic]

My son is 3.5 and is generally advanced/gifted in cognitive/intellectual areas like language, math, reasoning, but he's never really been advanced with large motor skills.  He's not sporty and though he loves his gymnastics class, he doesn't at all stand out (either way--ahead or behind).

A few days ago he started skipping, like full on skipping--very naturally and comfortably, even with opposing arms.

He is my first, so I don't really know this, but I always thought kids didn't start really skipping comfortably until 5 or 6.

When I google, I get lots of things about skip counting--not so helpful.

I'd love to hear from you all when this *usually* happens and also when (some of your) physically precocious kids started.

Thanks!

[~cassie]

My 5 1/2 yr old is still not doing it.  He isn't very coordinated, in fact, I'm not so sure I ever figured it out!

[KCMichigan]

One of my DDs had Physical Therapy and they wanted her to skip by or before age 5 (when 80-90% of kids have mastered skipping). She was skipping at age 4.5 and had mild gross motor delays.  She is suspected academically gifted, but has always had gross motor and some social delays. 

I would suspect a child that was physically talented would do so even sooner.

I teach 3yr old preschool (kids are 3- young 4) and out of 11 kids, 2 can skip . So in my very small group about 18%or so can skip. I dont think of of them as physically advanced- possibly one little guy who is very very coordinated for a young 3. All can but one can gallop, all of them can hop with two feet, go up stairs, ride a trike. I imagine over the course of the next year a few more will learn. So by the end of the school year (some kids will be 4 by then), probably 50/50.

Our neighbors son is physically gifted : walked at 10 months, rode a trike at 2, skipping at age 3, rode a two wheeled bike solo at 4 ,and water skiing at 4.5. He is very talented in soccer, water sports, and dirt bike riding at age 6 (his current age).

Edited by KCMichigan - 12/14/10 at 8:03pm

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I just saw ds really skip for the first time about a week ago he is 6y2m old.

[crowcaw]

My dds (twins) started dance classes when they were 3 in a group that was all between 3 and 4.  When they started about half the class could skip; my dds couldn't.  Within 3 months the entire class but one was skipping well and even doing "superman" skips.  I was surprised but the teacher said that it's pretty typical in her experience.  My dds have been quite ahead of the curve in gross motor though; and maybe the kids that end up in ballet classes at 3 are on average a little ahead of the curve.

[emaye_to_2]

My son couldn't skip until kindergarten (age 5 or 6). Now that he's seven he loves to skip, it's cute and funny. My daughter is turning five soon and she still can't skip. I distinctly remember when I was a kid and going through kindergarten testing. The only thing I couldn't do was skip..

[velochic]

Dd started at the school she attends when she was 3.5 yo (she's 9 now).  I know she was skipping before she went to school, but I can't remember exactly how early.  Actually, now that I think of it, she was skipping already when we were living abroad last time, because we would skip together when we were taking forest walks.  So, she was skipping by the time she was turning 3.  She has natural balance and agility, but is not very graceful (she too was not a stand-out in either gymnastics or ballet, but she excels at horseback riding, which requires excellent balance and control with the large muscles of the legs).  She walked and ran early, too.

[MJB]

My little guy started skipping at 3; his big brother after that at 6.

[Peony]

I have no idea when DD1 started skipping and she is quite the athlete, I just don't remember! DD2 who is not the most physically gifted child, started skipping right before her 3rd B-Day. I was quite surprised, she still at 4 trips over her feet often while walking, running. 

[nextcommercial]

My daughter broke her leg when she was two, and while she was wearing a cast, it was easier for her to do this gallop/skip thing.  So, by shortly after two, she could skip.  But, she couldn't run (only skip or gallop) until she was four and a half.  

[Monkey Keeper]

DD1 skipped prior to turning 4.  DD2 has yet to skip and will be 3 in a few weeks, which is funny because she is very coordinated in other ways (walking shy of 10m, dribbling a soccer ball at 15m, pedaling a trike forward and backward prior to 2.5y). 

[leighi123]

My 3yr old has been doing it for a while, he could 'gallop' before age 2 (I cant remember when exactly)

[Daffodil]

I think DD was around 5 when she learned, but she seems to have some motor planning issues.  She could only do it in super slow motion at first, but over a period of weeks (or maybe months), progressed to doing it at normal speed.  DS, who seems generally average with physical skills, could do it as a 3 year old (but I can't remember if he started right around 3 or more like 3 1/2.) 

[Ellie'sMom]

My dd was doing it in dance class when she was 4. My very athletic ds has been skipping well since 3.5. His twin, who seems to have some mild gross and fine motor delays, is just starting to approximate it at 5y3m, though I would not say he is comfortable with it. 

ETA: I also wonder if some boys come to it a bit later because they are less socialized to skip?

[pigpokey]

My DD learned in dance class.  She was almost 3 or just turned 4.  She's good physically but not precocious then or now (at age 7).  It was taught to all of them.  Her physically precocious brother started up then when she started doing it so he was about two and a half, two and three quarters. 

If he wants to stay in gymnastics and progress, the main determinant is not whether he stands out in preschool classes.  It's getting him from recreational classes into a quality developmental program at a gym you can stand to drive to 2-3 times a week, preferably one you can drop off at because practice will probably go like this:  preteam may be two 90 minute classes a week, expanding to three such classes a week or two, two hour practices a week and eventually three, three hour team practices and up from there.  Kids look pretty incredible who stay on these tracks, but it's because of the consistent instruction and practice, rather than inborn talent.

[Plummeting]

DD was 6 or almost 6. I will say that she is the least athletic child I've ever met, lol, so that might have something to do with it. In her home school P.E. class she's always the last in every race, the first one out when they play games, etc. She's just not gifted in the gross motor area.

[averlee]

My daughter can skip, she's 3 and a half.

[KLM99]

My 3.5yo girl just started skipping - she learned it in ballet class.  I don't think of her as terribly coordinated otherwise though... she walked early, but other coordination-type things came later, at least compared to what her little brother is doing now.

[SparklingGemini]

My DD is 3.5 and has been skipping for about 9 months?

Honestly? I was shocked when she started skipping so early.  I used to teach preschool and nanny for mostly preschool aged kids and I think maybe two or three kids out tons of kids for ten years could skip.

Although, she's always been ridiculously early with all her motor skills, so I really shouldn't be surprised.

[HollyBearsMom]

My son is 9 and still can't skip very well, LOL!