What are gross motor skills?
Gross motor activities are known as physical activities done with body muscle movements. it requires a lot of energy to be able to perform the skill. These gross motor activities are walking, running, sitting and standing, tossing balls, jumping, kicking, and so many others.
We have gross motor activities that can take place indoors and outdoors. Read along to find out the best gross motor activities for preschoolers.
Outdoor Gross Motor Activities for Preschoolers.
- Jumping around
- Running
- Dancing
- Flying kites
- Blowing Bubbles
- Bouncing on a soft ground.
- Walking on a safe plank
- Riding a bike or toy cars
- Building with Sand.
- Throwing and Catching ball
- kicking balls
Indoor Gross Motor Activities for Preschoolers.
Preschoolers will always get busy wether they are indoors our outdoor.we have curated the best preschool indoor gross motor activities that are quite engaging. This list is suitable for both home and school children.
1 Putting oranges in a bowl
Preschoolers can develop there gross motor skills by tossing ten oranges in a big bowl.
2 Stepping on paper plates
Get painted paper plates in differnt colours. Preschoolers should tread on just the red ones in a row. Alternatively, have them go down on their hands and knees and with a plate under each hand. To get your kids moving throughout the room, arrange the plates in a row. You can as well, place them close together for small steps.
3 Tossing of Balls
Put your preschoolers in a circle if they can catch a basic toss. Then come up with a technique to combine learning and a ball toss. You can, for example, throw a ball to a pupil and have them name a term. Then he or she says a rhyming word and returns the ball to you. Toss it to a different child with a fresh word to rhyme with.
4 – Find and Name Game
This is a flexible game that may be used to practice a variety of abilities. Simply instruct your kids to look for something and tag it. “Find and tag something yellow,” for example. “Find and tag something that starts with “e” is another option.
5 Animal Movement
You can instruct them to move like some animals such as dog, penguin, flying like a bird, jumping like a frog, walking like penguins and so many other animal imitations.
6 Painters Tape
Painter’s tape is one of the most useful innovations of all time. It’s simple to put on and take off. Whether you have a smooth or carpeted surface (but be sure to test it first just to be sure). There’s a lot you can do with it, too! As if it were a ladder, place it on the floor. Then have pupils try to leap as many rungs as they can. With a running start, can they jump higher?
7. Hopscotch Games
Painter’s tape, in my opinion, is the best option here. Make a basic number-based hopscotch board. Then have kids hurl a bean bag into a designated area and jump to get there. Another option is to use pull-out cardboard squares.
8 Balloon Indoor Games
Make enough balloons for each of your students (plus some extras in case they pop). Make them walk like a penguin by putting a balloon between their knees. Alternatively, they can toss the balloon and grab it before it touches the ground.
9. Act Like Me
This is where you may get your daily workout. Simply perform a series of activities or goofy motions, and have your class imitate your actions. Jump as high as a dog. Scratch as if you were a monkey. Run to a specific location and watch them imitate you
10. Tape balance beam
This is a very easy game, but it’s a lot of fun! Make zigzag, curvy, straight, or shaped like a circle, square, or other shape with several rolls of colorful painter’s tape laid out on the floor in different lines. Then have your students walk each colored line from start to finish.
11. Singing Rymes
Sing Interesting rhymes such as,
- Twinkle Twinkle little star
- I’m a little teacup
- Johnny Johnny
- London Bridge
- Ten little Monkeys Jumping on the bed
- Row Row Row your boat
- 3 little kittens
- Old Macdonald has a farm
- 3 little ducks
- The wheels on the bus go round and round.