8 Fun ways to develop gross motor skills

First things first: why are gross motor skills vital for successful learning?

These skills allow children to sit up straight in chairs and work at a table. It also enables children to concentrate for longer periods of time, as is expected in the school environment.

Children need more movement than adults to develop their big muscle but instead, spend most of their time in a sitting position during the day. Children also need to develop skills such as balance, using the two halves of the body together in activities, crossing the mid-line and coordination skills.

Here are 8 fun ways to develop the important gross motor skills without breaking the bank:

1. Pretend play 

Fire up your child's imagination and movement through pretend games - waddle like a duck, fly like an airplane or hop like a rabbit. You can also let your child pretend to be something and you can guess what he or she is.

2. Jump around with hopscotch

Hopping and jumping can be challenging for kids with gross motor challenges. These activities require strong muscles, balance and coordination. Give your child practice through a game of hopscotch. You can alternate the hopscotch pattern.

3. Break out the bubbles (or balloons)

Have your child chase the bubbles and try to pop as many as possible. Blow up small balloons and keep them afloat by bouncing them into the air with open palms. Either game will help your child get practice with hand-eye coordination as well as gross motor skills.

4. Roll down a hill

This one might spark memories of when you were a kid, too. Take your child to a gently sloping hill and practice rolling down. Body rolling can help children become aware of the relationship between their upper and lower bodies.

5. Swing on the playground

Swinging on a swing set helps your child develop balance. It also requires children to coordinate shifting weight and moving their legs back and forth. Other ways to develop gross motor skills on the playground include going up and down on a slide and climbing up equipment.

6. Have a dance party

Dancing to music helps build your child's awareness of rhythm while improving gross motor skills. Songs with lyrics that call for movement, such as “I'm a Little Teapot” or “The Hokey Pokey,” are great choices to get children to move their bodies moving in coordinated ways.

7. Try easy balancing acts

Make balancing less intimidating by practicing it without leaving the ground. Extend a piece of string or tape in a straight line on the floor and have your child practice walking on it. You can also create a backyard balance beam by taking spare planks of wood and laying them out on the lawn.

8. Set up an indoor obstacle course

Obstacle courses are a fun way to get your child moving, while setting goals that are easy to accomplish. Furniture, pillows and blankets can be used to create areas for crawling under, on and through. Try to set up obstacles that will challenge your child to balance, crawl, jump and run.

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*Article originally published in Issue 1 of the Biolink Attention Training "E-ducation Magazine" (2018).