By 5 years: milestone checklist
School is just around the corner now. Here’s what a lot of five-year-olds are doing as they get ready for it.
Written by the Inclusive Developmental and Therapy Center therapy team · medically reviewed by Dr Muhammad Suffyan, MB BS (GMC 8023727) · Last reviewed July 2026
How to use this checklist
- Go through each list and tick off every skill your child can already do.
- Try not to worry about a few “not yet”s — children grow at their own pace, and this is a gentle guide, not a test.
- Use the Ways to help ideas below to gently nudge along the skills that are still coming.
- If several skills are missing, or your child has lost skills they once had, have a look at the “when to seek advice” box and book a free check.
What most children do by their fifth birthday
Communication & language
- Speaks in full, clear sentences
- Tells a longer story in order
- Understands and follows classroom-style instructions
- Shows interest in letters, sounds and early reading
- Uses past and future tense correctly
Social & learning
- Makes friends and plays by rules
- Takes turns and shares well
- Manages emotions with a little support
- Sits and attends to a task for a short while
Movement & self-care
- Holds a pencil and writes some letters or their name
- Skips, hops and balances well
- Dresses and uses the toilet independently
- Draws a recognisable person
Ways to help your child grow
Five-year-olds are getting ready for school, so these ideas build words, early reading and a bit of independence.
Chat about their day and ideas — ask “what do you think will happen?” to build clear, longer sentences.
Read together daily and run your finger under the words — let them guess rhymes and sound out first letters.
Encourage play with other children and simple board games — sharing, waiting and fair play matter for school.
Practise holding a pencil to write their name, and skip, catch and balance — strong bodies help focused minds.
Let them pack their own bag, do buttons and manage the toilet alone — real independence builds school confidence.
Count out plates, spot numbers on the door and sort coins together — everyday maths readies them for class.
Try today: Ask your child to “read” a favourite book to you from the pictures — praise every brave try.
When it’s worth having a chat
- Unclear speech or trouble being understood
- Can’t follow instructions or attend in a group
- Difficulty making friends or managing emotions
- Struggles with pencil control or early letters
If several of these feel familiar, an early, gentle check can bring real clarity — and support at the point where it helps most.
Seek help straight away if your child loses skills they once had; doesn’t respond to sounds or your voice (ask for a hearing test — don’t wait); doesn’t look at faces or make eye contact; or isn’t sitting on their own by 9–10 months, or walking by 18 months. If your child is ever in immediate danger or has hurt themselves, call your local emergency number or go to your nearest emergency department now.
This checklist is a general guide and not a diagnosis — children develop at their own pace. For a clear answer, speak to a professional near you, follow a home program at home, or book an online session with us from anywhere in the world.
Questions parents ask
What should a child do by their fifth birthday?
School is just around the corner now. Here’s what a lot of five-year-olds are doing as they get ready for it. This checklist covers communication, social, movement and self-care milestones, ways to help at home, and signs it’s worth seeking advice.
My child has missed a few of these — should I worry?
Not necessarily — every child develops at their own pace and one or two “not yet”s are common. A cluster of missed milestones, or any loss of skills, is worth a friendly check.
Not sure what the checklist is telling you?
Send us your child’s age and what you’ve noticed — we’ll help you make sense of it, gently and without pressure.
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