As toddlers become preschoolers, it is the perfect time to introduce them to even more gross motor activities. These 20 will help promote gross motor skills all while having fun together!
Gross Motor Activities for Preschoolers
When your toddlers become preschoolers it is the perfect time to introduce them to fun and interactive gross motor activities. While your preschoolers play they will be strengthening all the right muscles that they will need as they grow.
We are sharing all our favorite gross motor activities that kids can do both indoors and outdoors!
Indoor Gross Motor Activities
When it is is too cold or rainy outside there are plenty of fun indoor activities to do!
1. Hot Lava
Kids love playing hot lava. Set up a hot lava in the living room with pillows or even couch cushions and let your kids jump, bounce, or leap from one to another.
2. Dancing
Does your child love to dance? Teach them a variety of dances or let them freestyle to a new favorite song. Sing fun songs with them that require movement like “I’m a Little Tea Pot” “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” or even “The Wheels on the Bus”
3. Hop Scotch
Sometimes the weather outside is not conducive for going outside. Create a mini hopscotch with blue tape. This is safe for most floors. Then take turns hopping from square to square together.
4. Bean Bags
Bean Bags are a favorite in our house. They are so simple to make. All you need is some uncooked beans and two squares of fabric and you can create a bean bag in just a few minutes. Use these to toss at targets or in bins to see if your preschooler can make it where it is supposed to go.
5. Balloon Ball
You are almost guaranteed hours of entertainment if you give your child a balloon. Blow up a balloon and see how many times they can hit it in a row, or have them hit it against the wall. During this activity, they will move around the room hitting their balloon over and over again.
6. Animal Walk
While we added this to our list of activities for 3 year olds, it is worth adding to this list as well! Spread out a bit and then call out an animal. After you say the animal, have your child move around the room acting out the animal. Here they will move their arms and legs and pretend to be all kinds of animals like snakes, tigers, elephants, giraffes, monkeys, frogs, and more!
7. Mother May I?
Bring back the game we all loved as kids and play Mother May I? Have the kids line up in a line and have them ask if they can go something. These could include things like:
- Mother may I take 5 steps?
- Mother may I jump 3 times?
- Mother may I run for 3 seconds?
- Mother may I crawl?
The mother then gets to decide if they get to do that activity. The first person to reach mother wins.
8. Get Your Wiggles Out
Have you ever noticed that some days your kids are full of all kinds of wiggles? Create a fun wiggle jar and place different fun activities inside. Try things like
- Do 10 jumping jacks
- Run in place for 10 seconds
- Play the drums
- Spin in a circle 5 times
- Stand on one foot while counting to 10
All these are fun for them, get energy out, and make for a great indoor gross motor activity.
9. Mini Trampoline
Have you ever seen those mini indoor trampolines? If you have the space pick one up for inside. These help with balance and coordination that will be a great benefit to your child.
10. Animal Rescue
Climbing stairs helps your preschoolers in a variety of ways, but if you tell your child to climb the stairs most likely they will tell you that they are too tired. So make it fun and play animal rescue. Place several stuffed animals at the top of the stairs and tell them they have to rescue them one at a time. Your child will then walk up and down the stairs several times all while rescuing the animals (and strengthening their gross motor!)
Outdoor Gross Motor Skills
11. Parade
Gather some friends and neighbors and create a musical parade. Give everyone a fun instrument and have them march down the sidewalk in the parade. The kids will love playing music with one another!
12. Bowling
Grab some used 2-liter bottles (10 of them) and create a fun outdoor bowling game. The kids can practice rolling the ball while trying to knock down all the pins at once. If it is a bit windy or you are using a heavier ball you might want to weigh the bottles a bit so the wind does not tip them over.
13. Bikes
Whether your preschooler is still riding a tricycle or moved onto a bike give them ample opportunities to ride it. By doing this you are helping them strengthen their leg muscles as well as their coordination. If at first they don’t understand the concept of pedaling over time they will, so just keep encouraging and teaching them.
14. Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
An outdoor scavenger hunt is a great way to explore and get your kids running, hopping, leaping, and more! Grab this free download and get outside and see what you can find together!
15. Scooters
One of my favorite outdoor gross motor activities for preschoolers is those 3 wheel scooters. They provide just enough balance to let your child feel confident while they ride around the driveway or down the street.
16. Kick a soccer ball
It is never too early to introduce them to soccer. Teach them how to kick a ball to someone else. Encourage them to try to get it to a friend or even you. While they do this they are increasing their coordination, balance, and hand-eye coordination.
17. Play at the Park
It is no surprise the park is on the list! Take your kids to the park and let them climb, jump, pull themselves up, run, and more.
18. Create an obstacle course
Create a fun obstacle course outside. While you are developing it add some activities that have them roll balls, throw objects, pedal, run, skip, hop, twist, and climb!
19. Outdoor Memory
Take one of their favorite games outdoors with outdoor memory. Create giant-sized memory cards that you can lay on the grass and then when it is your child’s turn have them walk or run to flip them over! Your kids will beg you to play this over and over again!
20. Car Wash
Kids love water so help them create their very own car wash. Give them a bucket of soapy water and some sponges or rags and let them clean ride-on toys, balls, bats, or anything else that can get wet! I promise your child will love playing car wash.
What other gross motor activities would you add to the list? Share in the comments below!
Check out these other great posts!
20 Educational & Developmental Activities for 3 Year Olds