Gross Motor Activities to Try at Home

Gross Motor Activities to Try at Home

Gross Motor Activities to Try at Home

Participation in a range of Gross Motor activities should help a child to improve their performance in functional activities at home and school including moving around their environment.

Activity Suggestions

Jumping Games

  • Jump over puddles, off a step or low stool, up in the air, fast, slow, jump as far as you can
  • Use ropes- jump over the rope on the floor; raise the rope and jump at several heights, jump forwards, backwards, sideways, run and jump.
  • Go under the rope – crawl, slither, duck walk, turn the rope and runs under while it is up in the air
  • practice with skipping ropes

Obstacle Course

  • Set up an obstacle course at home/ outside with furniture, boxes, toys, blankets, ladders, marching, ropes, crawling, hula hoops, etc.

Body Exercises

  • Encourage stretching and movement – e.g. reach for the sky, make yourself as small as you can, kick as high as you can, put your hands on your head and down to your feet
  • Curl-Ups-Lie with knees bent and arms crossed on chest, reach body up towards knees and hold for 3 seconds, repeat 10-30 times gradually increasing amount
  • Airplanes- Lie on stomach, head up, arms straight ahead (elbows may be bent), thigh and legs off floor, hold as long as possible, repeat 5 times

Balancing

  • Standing on one foot- stand on each foot for as long as possible
  • Hopping- Hop on each foot for as many hops as you can
  • Walking on Lines- use tape on the floor for straight and curved lines, walk on the curb, on the gaps between paving slabs, walk slowly aiming for control and rhythm
  • Practice walking forwards, backwards, sideways, criss cross pattern, up on toes, heels, heel to toe/fairy steps.

Playground Equipment

  • Encourage climbing, swinging, jumping, balancing, sand play and sliding

Ball and Target Games

  • Throw beanbags/balls into a bucket; knock down skittles/ at an object/ at the wall. Start in standing and then in squatting, high kneeling, ½ kneeling.
  • Throw a ball to another person, use a bounce pass or a chest pass, kick the ball. Make the ball a hot potato and pass quickly
  • Balloons-try to keep the balloon off the floor for as long as you can, lie on your back and keep a balloon/beach ball in air using hands, feet and knees

Streamers and Ribbons

  • Use big arm circles, figure 8’s, up and down, snakes on the floor, move around to music, create letters or shapes in the air

Body Awareness

  • Simon Says, head & shoulders, imitating postures, animal walks

Animal Walks

BearWalk on all fours with bottom in the air and straight legs

Frog Start in a crouch position, Jump up high and land in a crouch position again

(Can also play leapfrog with the child jumping over an object)

CrabHold body

Dog / HorseCrawl around on all fours

SnakeLie flat on the floor and use arms to pull around the floor.

Bunny rabbitStart in a crouch position, Place hands in front and do a little jump with both feet off the floor, ensuring hands remain on the floor throughout the jump.

Donkey KickStand on hands and feet. Kick up legs behind you and land again on feet.

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