Final answer:
Children typically acquire the ability to skip around the ages of 5 to 6 years, due to improved coordination, balance, and muscle strength that are characteristic of this developmental stage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ability to skip is a milestone in physical development often achieved by children around the ages of 5 to 6 years. Thus, the correct option would be b. 5-6 years. Skipping requires coordination, balance, and strength, attributes that are significantly developed by the time children reach this age group. At the age of three, children have the gross motor skills for climbing and can climb stairs placing one foot per step. As they grow, their motor skills continue to develop, and by the age of five, they can perform actions such as catching a ball from a meter away and balancing on either foot for about ten seconds with good control.
Additionally, cognitive and psychosocial development during the preschool years support the acquisition of skills like skipping. Five-year-old children can engage in complex physical activities such as riding a bicycle with training wheels and can generally tie their own shoelaces. As they transition into middle childhood, from six to ten years, their physical abilities continue to flourish, along with muscle strength and coordination, allowing for more controlled and graceful movements, which are further indicators that the capacity to skip is well-established in the 5-6 year age range.