Gross Motor Activities
Mary Whitfield, Early Childhood Educator

Gross motor refers to the large muscles of our bodies.  When we are born we begin to develop gross motor control of the head and torso, leading to mastering sitting, crawling, standing, walking, running, jumping, etc.  As children develop better control of the arms and legs, they begin to develop their fine motor skills (hands and fingers).  They begin to grasp, touch, feed themselves, and eventually are able to print, cut with scissors and zip their coats.

Children practice their gross motor skills until they master them.  Think of a child at the park who climbs the steps and goes down the slide over and over.  He’s building his muscles and confidence in this new skill.  So give your children lots of time to develop their muscles.  Turn off the television, move away from the computer and get moving with your kids.

Pretend to be an Animal
It’s fun to pretend.  Here are some suggestions of moving like different animals.  Ask your child for ideas too.  You might have your child move as an animal on the way to wash hands before dinner or on the way to get her pajamas on.

1. Bear        Walk on all four and growl with a deep voice.
2. Elephant  Join your arms in front of you and sway your arms like trunk. 
3. Lion        Walk on all fours and roar!
4. Worm      Wiggle on the floor.
5. Frog        How far can you jump?
6. Dinosaur  Stomp around like dinosaur.  What kind of noise do you think a dinosaur made?
7. Butterfly    Flutter around the room very lightly.  Wave your arms like wings.      
8. Duck       Waddle around the room with your hands folded under your armpits like wings.
9. Horse      Gallop, trot, run.
10. Snake      Slither on the floor.
11. Cat         Walk on all fours and arch your back.

New Ways to Move
Here are some more ideas of different ways to move.

1. Walk like the room is full of something gooey.
2. Put a piece of masking tape on the floor and walk like you’re on a balance beam.
3. Walk on the heels of your feet.
4. Walk on your tiptoes.
5. Walk backwards.
6. Walk a crooked line.
7. Take big steps.
8. Take baby steps.
9. Do a crab walk (both hands and feet on the floor with head and tummy facing up.)
10. How many hops does it take to get across the room?

Bean Bag Toss
You can make bean bags with old socks.  Cut the sock at the heel.  Fill the bag with beans or rice.  Stitch closed.

You can use any variety of containers, such as pots, pans, boxes, plastic bowls.  Throw from different distances.

Streamers to Music
Cut a ribbon 1 to 3 feet long.  Tape it to a craft stick or to a shower curtain ring.  Put on some music and have your child wave the streamer to the beat of the music.  Try different types of music, such as rock and roll, jazz, blues, classical, whatever is your favorite style.

Here are some other types of movements to use with the streamer.

1. Be a snowflake fluttering slowly down.  Or be a snowflake in a blizzard.
2. Be a butterfly flying through the air.
3. Be a fish swimming in the sea.
4. Be the wind blowing all around.
5. Be a wave crashing on the shore.

Songs that Get you Moving

Teddy Bear Song
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, reach up high.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the sky.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, bend down low.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your toe.

                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, go upstairs.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, brush your hair.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the light.
                             Teddy bear, teddy bear, say good night.

If You’re Happy and You Know It
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.  (Clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.  (Clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.  (Clap, clap)

Additional verses:

1. Stomp your feet
2. Shout hurrah
3. Do all three

You can make new verses for this song singing about other feelings.  Here are some ideas:

1. Silly – make a face
2. Angry – stomp your feet
3. Sad – give a cry
4. Tired – give a yawn

Hokey Pokey
                   You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out.
                   You put your right foot in and you shake it all about.
                   You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around.
                   That’s what it’s all about!

Continue with left foot, right hand, left hand, head, elbows, tummy, shoulders, whole self.

Obstacle Course Outdoors
You can help your child create an obstacle course outside in your back yard.  For instance, have your child go up the ladder, down the slide, run around the flag pole, crawl under the lawn chair, jump over the rope and throw the ball through the hoop. 

Obstacle Course Indoors
If you can’t go outside you can create an obstacle course inside your house.  Some ideas include going under chairs or tables, over foot stools, around the desk, up and down the stairs.

Additional Resources:
"Activities for Gross Motor Skills" by Jodene Lynn Smith.  Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 2003.
"The Instant Curriculum" by Pam Schiller and Joan Rossano.  Gryphon House, Inc., 1990.
http://www.shirleys-preschool-activities.com/gross-motor-skills.html
http://www.getreadyforschool.com/preschool/preschool_activity.html