Measurable Goals for Preschool Fitness

Measurable fitness goals are the physical markers your pediatrician uses to track your preschooler's development, but you can also use these goals to observe your child's progress between doctor visits. Every child matures at a different pace, but it's helpful to have a list of the goals to judge your own child's growth. Setting practical fitness goals for your preschooler helps you measure development, but understanding benchmarks avoids putting stress on your child to master skills beyond his normal age, height and weight range.

  1. Movement Benchmarks

    • Your preschooler understands the basics of jumping, kicking, throwing and running, according to KidsHealth. Children continue to perfect these skills through the elementary grades. Preschool fitness goals that match the milestones set by the American Academy of Pediatrics include the ability to hop, swing and climb while having basic control over the movement. Most preschoolers can also turn a somersault and some can skip. It takes years, however, for preschoolers to develop a mastery of catching and throwing.

    Balance, Coordination and Focus

    • Kids develop balance and coordination through practice, and some children have better balance compared to others. The AAP list of goals for preschool fitness includes standing on one foot for 10 seconds. The list also includes having a basic coordination to somersault once and keep focused at the same time during the activity. The Illinois Early Learning Project adds throwing overhand, catching a bounced ball, rolling like a log and pumping a swing as other basic benchmark fitness goals for preschool-age children.

    Sports Goals

    • Preschoolers sometimes participate in organized sports such as football, baseball or basketball, but most have only the most rudimentary fitness skills and these eliminate the chance to play in formal competitions. Structured sports that incorporate hopping and forward jumps offer good opportunities for measurable fitness goals, but KidsHealth warns parents that preschoolers don't yet have the skills to throw and catch accurately. Preschool kids also don't have the ability to master games with complex rules. Many kids under age 4 don't have the maturity to take turns without adult help, according to KidsHealth.

    Dedicated Play Time

    • The AAP and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education encourages parents to use the high energy levels during the preschool years to build fitness skills. Dedicated daily playtime helps your preschooler develop physical skills through exercise. He can improve balance and coordination by riding tricycles or small bicycles and playing on playground equipment. Play doesn't need to be choreographed, and the AAP notes that even spontaneous play helps exercise muscles and develop fitness. KidsHealth recommends a daily schedule of an hour of structured activities and another hour of spontaneous play for adequate fitness development.

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