Five-year-old Aspen can ride a bicycle without training wheels, hop on one foot, and kick a ball. However, he can't write his name legibly. Aspen clearly excels in .

The answer is gross motor skills.

Explanation:

Gross motor skills are skills that involve the whole body and general balance.  They are responsible for everyday activities such as walking or simply standing.

While children need to work on these skills to engage in physical activities such as running or jumping, it is also necessary for academic development. For example, sitting up straight for paying attention in class involves gross motor skills.