Gross Motor Activities

•        Dancing: Get your child moving, either freestyle or through songs with movements such as “I’m a Little Teapot,” “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” “Freeze Dance,” or “Popcorn.”

•        Walking: Take walks with your child around the house, neighborhood, or park. As you walk, tell stories, count, or play games. For variety, add in marching, jogging, hopping, or even musical instruments to form a parade.

•        Participating in sports: Engage in gymnastics, ice skating, swimming, horseback riding, soccer, tennis, etc.

•        Balancing: Have your child walk on a piece of string or tape, a low beam or plank at the playground, or a homemade balance beam.

•        Riding equipment: Encourage your child to ride tricycles, or other ride-on toys and to pull or push wagons, large trucks, doll strollers, or shopping carts.

•        Building and navigating obstacle courses: Make an obstacle course indoors with furniture, pillows, boxes, and blankets; outdoors with rocks, logs, playground equipment, or an old tire.

•        Throwing, catching, and rolling: Use large, lightweight, or soft balls to throw, catch, or roll.

•        Playing gross motor games:  Play games such as Hullabaloo, Elefun, Dr. Suess I can do that! And Hyperdash.  These games are great for developing gross motor skills!

•        Playing classic backyard games: Play games such as tag, follow the leader, red light/green light, tails, or Simon says (avoid or modify games that force kids to sit still or to be eliminated from play, such as duck, duck, goose or musical chairs).

•        Engaging in playground fun: Have your child swing, slide, and climb at a playground or indoor play space.