Gross Motor Skills of Children Aged 5–6 Years Transitioning From Early Childhood Education to Elementary School in Karanganyar, Indonesia

The transition from early childhood education to primary school requires children to adapt to a more structured learning environment, and gross motor skills are one part of this readiness. Aim: This descriptive study aimed to describe the gross motor skill profile of 5–6-year-old children before entering elementary school in Karanganyar Regency, Indonesia, by aspect. Method: A quantitative descriptive design was used with 63 children aged 5–6 years from two early childhood education institutions (TK Angkasa, n = 31; TK Adzikru, n = 32). Five aspects (balance, strength, agility, coordination, and flexibility) were assessed by direct observation using a motor development assessment form, with items scored on a 1–5 scale. Results: Mean percentages of maximum score were 80.6% for balance (SD 16.9), 86.6% for strength (SD 9.5), 88.6% for agility (SD 14.7), 82.7% for coordination (SD 13.3), and 85.9% for flexibility (SD 11.3). Balance had the lowest mean and the widest spread, and 57.1% of children reached the maximum score on the single agility item, suggesting a ceiling effect. Conclusion: Within the limits of a non-standardized instrument and a single regency, balance and coordination had the lowest mean percentages of maximum scores. These descriptive profiles should be confirmed with standardized measures and larger samples.