OBJECTIVE: To describe the pattern of mandibular movements associated with the masticatory function in children aged 3 to 5 in order to correlate the associated orthodontic variables with chronological age. CASE REPORT: This cross-sectional study involved 82 children. Data collection was performed by evaluating mandibular movements during mastication of bread (25 g French bread) using a video registry with further analyses performed by evaluators of speech pathology who were blinded to the purpose of the study. The predominant masticatory movements were classified as follows: rotational, vertical, and maceration. Assessment of dental appearance was performed by a dentist specializing in pediatric dentistry. When comparisons were made by age group, between age 3 years and 3 years and 11 months, the most frequent movement was maceration; between age 4 years and 4 years 11 months, maceration had evolved into a rotational pattern, but still with a strong presence of the vertical movement; however, between 5 years and 5 years 11 months, the pattern was definitely rotational, which is the expected physiological pattern. There was thus a relationship between chronological age and predominant mandibular movement (p = 0.014). The presence of occlusal alterations influenced the mastication pattern between the analyzed age groups (p = 0,024), but the same was not the case for carious injuries (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: For the studied population, increased chronological age in the absence of occlusal changes influenced the presence/acquisition of rotational mandibular movements during mastication.