Background: A functional integration between the jaw and neck regions during purposive jaw movements is well described in adults, but there is a lack of knowledge of such integration during jaw function in children.; Objectives: To determine the movement integration between the jaw and neck during jaw motor tasks in 6-year-olds, whether there is a difference between children and adults.; Methods: Jaw and neck movements were recorded with an optoelectronic 3D system in 25 healthy 6-year-olds (12 girls, 13 boys) and 24 healthy adults (12 women, 12 men) during paced jaw opening-closing and self-paced gum chewing. Jaw and neck movement amplitudes, intra-individual variation in movement amplitude, ratio between neck-jaw movement amplitudes, and movement cycle time were analysed. Differences between children and adults were evaluated with Mann-Whitney U test for independent samples.; Results: Compared to adults, 6-year old children showed larger neck movement amplitudes (P=0.008) during chewing, higher intra-individual variability in amplitudes of jaw (P=0.008) and neck (P=0.001) movements, higher ratio between neck-jaw movement amplitudes for jaw opening-closing (P=0.026) and chewing (P=0.003), and longer jaw movement cycle time (P≤0.0001) during the jaw opening-closing task.; Conclusion: Despite integrated jaw-neck movements in 6-year old children, the movement pattern differs from that of adults and may be interpreted as an immature programming of jaw-neck motor behavior. The well-integrated movements observed in adults most likely develop over years, perhaps into adolescence, and needs further research including well controlled longitudinal studies to map this development in order to provide appropriate age-related clinical treatment for functional disorders. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.; This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.