GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
Gross Motor/ Large Muscle Activities
Tossing Practice: Practice tossing a beanbag or small ball (tossing is underhand throwing).
Catching Skills: Practice catching with two hands. (balls, beanbags, etc.)
Movement Skills: Practice movement skills: walk, run, jump, hop, skip, gallop.
Silent Walking: Walk carrying something such as a bell and try not to let it ring.
Standing Still: Practice standing still for a given amount of time (maybe 1 minute).
Balance Practice: Practice standing (balancing) still on one foot.
Animal Movements: Pretend to be an animal and walk like that animal: waddle like a duck, gallop like a horse, hop like a rabbit, crawl like a crab, slither like a snake.
Creative Movement: Move like a stiff-legged robot, fly like a plane, grow like a flower, blow in the wind like a tree.
Laterality Development: To help develop the sense of laterality give your child directions such as lie down on the floor and raise your left leg, raise your right arm, etc….
Shadow Tag: Play shadow tag. Try to step on each other's shadows.
Bowling Practice: Practice "bowling" Set up 10 empty plastic milk cartons in a triangle shape on the driveway or in a long empty hallway. Roll a ball at the cartons.
Walking Commands: Practice walking and stopping or turning (left or right) on command.
Simon Says: Play "Simon Says" with one person giving the command for the other to follow.
Jump Rope & Hoola Hoop: Start practicing with a jump rope or a hoola hoop (These activities take a lot of time, practice and coordination).
Ball Kicking: Practice kicking a ball.
Mirror Game: Play "Mirror" One person mirror copies the other person's movements.
Spatial Relationships: Play a special relationship game: Use one object such as a chair and have your child stand NEXT to the chair, ON the chair, UNDER the chair, to the LEFT of the chair, etc.
Dancing: Have fun dancing.
Stair Practice: Practice stepping up and down stairs.
Hopscotch: Play hopscotch.
Playground Activities: Go to the park and climb the playground equipment.
Riding Skills: Learn to ride a scooter or bicycle (Use safety equipment always).
Obstacle Course: Set up an obstacle course inside or outside. (Remember: safety first)