Fun Gross Motor Activity Ideas for Groups of Kids

Gross motor activities — things like climbing, crawling, jumping and throwing — are great for little kids because those big movements are essential first steps to fine motor skills. They’re also lots of fun and a way for kids to burn off a little energy.

Teach Me Mommy has a great collection of gross motor activities for groups, which she road-tested on a group of five-year-olds. They require minimal amounts of equipment and some of them would be great for doing at home as well, such as jumping through a maze of hula hoops and using chalk shapes on the sidewalk to count, jump into and throw bean bags into.

(Read more: ideas for playing and learning with chalk.)

Life Over Cs has another great idea for a gross motor activity that can be one with one or many kids. Her move like an insect gross motor play includes a printable die with different movements on it that can be acted out by kids, such as crawling like a caterpillar, flapping like a butterfly and wiggling like a worm. So cute.

Do you have any go-to gross motor games you like to use with your kids? I’d love to hear about them!

[Photo via Teach Me Mommy.]

Check out these insect activity kits and these Insect bug keepers

I feel like I’ve been writing a lot (and thinking a lot) about things that you can do inside when it’s too hot to consider going outside to play, but when you get those nice days (or if you’re already planning things to do when it’s a little cooler out) you need to be ready to take advantage.

Having a piece of chalk and a sidewalk is all the preparation you need for a basic movement obstacle course. Think of it as a much more intricate game of hopscotch with other movements like twirling, balancing, jumping and throwing.

The original idea behind this post was the pirate themed chalk obstacle course from Chick Link. This super cute (and long!) course includes things like jumping over a crocodile, balancing on the plank, catching a fish by throwing a hula hoop, spinning in a storm, rowing a boat and more, high-fiving the pirate and finally getting to the treasure (which is also just drawn, or you could have little fake jewels) at the end.

This theme is super cute but it occurs to me you could do something similar with whatever your kid is into. Make the course based on characters they like with activities from shows or movies they enjoy. Think about how you can incorporate easy movement like jumping, stomping, balancing, twisting, stretching or throwing into an activity.

Maybe a Curious George course where you pretend to climb a tree, “swing” through the vines by jumping, toss the yellow hat on the man, etc.

And while this one is totally done on sidewalks, if you don’t have access to that much sidewalk you could do it with signs marked in the grass or even just calling out actions to kids while they run around the playground.

Or do it inside with tape and signs, if it’s still too hot to think about going outside but you want to get those kids moving today.

[Photo: Chick Link]

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