GROSS MOTOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

Gross motor activities are an important part of children’s development. They help children build strength, coordination, and balance, which can help them in all aspects of life.

Not only are these activities fun for kids, but they can also help them improve so many skills which in the long run will help them improve their total personality.

In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of gross motor activities for kids, the benefits they offer, milestones you can track and some great ideas for getting started.

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What are gross motor activities for children?

Gross motor activities are any type of movement that requires the use of large muscle groups. This includes running, jumping, hopping, skipping, and climbing.

These activities can be done indoors or outdoors and can be adapted to fit any age or ability level. Gross motor activities can also be done alone or in groups, making them a great way to promote social interaction.

Most importantly, gross motor activities for kids can help them develop the skills they need for a healthy, active lifestyle. These activities are essential for physical development, as they help children build strength, coordination, and balance. They can also help improve cognitive skills, such as problem-solving and decision-making.

Gross motor skills development milestones

Newborn- 2 months

Turns head to both sides while on back.
Lifts the head and is able to turn to both sides while on the belly.
Kicking both legs and moving both arms equally while on the back.
Performs tummy time on the floor regularly.

3-4 months

Raises the head in line with body when put on the tummy
Pushes up on forearms and turns head side to side when on belly
Tolerates tummy time well
Rolls from belly to back

5 months

Rolls from back to belly.
Brings feet to mouth laying on the back.
Pushes up on hands with arms extended while on belly.
Pivots in a circle while on belly to each side.

6-8 months

Sits alone.
Reaches for toys to play with while sitting.
May lose balance while sitting
Crawls on the belly.

9-11 months

Moves between laying down and sitting upright without help.
Crawls on hands and knees.
Pulls to a standing position with one foot leading.
Cruises around furniture.
Walks with two hands held.

11-12 months

Walks with one hand held.
Stands alone for a few seconds.

13-14 months

Crawls upstairs
Stands up from the floor without support.
Walks alone well.
Squats and stands back up without holding onto support.

15-18 months

Walks upstairs with hands or rails to help.
Crawls down the stairs on the belly or feet first.
Can run but falls easily.
Kicks a ball forward.

2 Years

Walks and runs fairly well
Jumps in place with both feet off the ground
Squats to pick up a toy
Stack two objects
Stands on tiptoe
Climbs on low furniture.
Kicks a large ball
Goes up and down stairs with support

3 Years

Can stand on one foot for a few seconds.
Climbs jungle gym and ladders
Pedals a tricycle
Walks up/down stairs alternating feet
Jumps in place with two feet together
Able to walk on tiptoes
Catches using body

4 Years

Stands on one foot for up to 5 seconds
Kicks a ball forward
Throws a ball overarm
Catches a ball that has been bounced
Runs around obstacles
Able to walk in a line
Able to hop on one foot
Jumps over an object and lands with both feet together

5 Years

Able to walk upstairs while holding an object
Walks backward
Jumps forward 10 times without failing
Skips forward after demonstration
Hangs from a bar for at least 5 seconds
Catches a small ball using only hands

6 Years

Runs lightly on toes
Able to walk on a balance beam
Able to skip using a skipping rope
Can cover 2 metres when hopping
Demonstrates mature throwing and catching pattern
Mature jumping skills

Gross motor activities for babies

As soon as the newborn comes home from the hospital, start having short tummy time sessions every day when they are awake and happy.

You can use rattles, soft toys and texture mats to make it interesting for the baby. You can increase the tummy time duration gradually.

You can use toys to encourage them to lift their heads.

Sitting support– Use a sitting support pillow or mattress to help them sit safely. (They may lose balance and fall back at any given time)

You can use pillows or quilt mats for safety.

Crawling game– Around 1-8 months, your baby may start crawling. Put them in tummy time and place toys just out of their reach to encourage crawling.

Push cart– When the baby can hold onto furniture and stand up, give them a push cart.

It will help the baby keep his balance and start walking with its help. Gradually, the baby will learn to walk on their own without any help.

Gross motor activities for toddlers

Gross motor activities for toddlers should be fun and engaging. Activities such as crawling and walking can help them develop strength and coordination.

You can also encourage them to explore their environment by climbing and jumping. Other activities such as rolling, throwing, and catching balls can help them develop hand-eye coordination.

You can also play games like tag and Simon Says with them. You can get them dancing and moving to music, which helps them explore different kinds of gross motor movements.

Gross motor activities for pre-schoolers

For pre-schoolers, this should be easy to learn with instructions and demonstrations.

Games like Simon Says, Hopscotch and Tag are perfect for this group. They can also run, crawl and climb. Hula-hooping, jumping rope and other activities help build coordination and balance.

For an added challenge, you can create obstacle courses that involve crawling, jumping, and balancing. It’s a great time to have fun together and bond with your kids!

Gross motor activities for school-age children

School-age kids should be encouraged to engage in gross motor activities that are more difficult than those of pre-school age. Running, jumping and hopping are great activities that help children develop their speed and flexibility.

You can also give them some sports like basketball, football, and tennis, as well as biking and swimming. These activities will help them build strength and endurance, as well as help them develop teamwork, communication, and leadership.

Obstacle courses are a great way to get them moving and learning how to solve problems.

Gross motor activities for special needs children

Special needs children can benefit from gross motor activities that are tailored to their needs. Walking, running, and even jumping can help them build strength and coordination.

Other activities like throwing and catching balls, hula-hopping, and hand-eye coordination can also help.

Gross motor activities for indoors

Indoor gross motor activities can help kids stay active and engaged. Indoors, activities such as running, jumping, and hopping can help kids build strength and coordination.

Other activities such as hula-hooping and dancing can help them explore different types of gross motor movements.

Find more fun things to do inside with kids

Gross motor activities for kids with limited space

Gross motor activities can be adapted to fit any environment. Activities such as running and jumping can be done indoors or outdoors, depending on the space available.

You can also set up stations that involve different gross motor activities, such as running, jumping, and hopping.

Tips for getting started with gross motor activities for kids

When introducing gross motor activities for kids, it’s important to start with simple activities that are appropriate for their age and ability level. You should also make sure to choose activities that your child enjoys.

Make sure to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and complexity of the activities.

You should also make sure to provide plenty of breaks and take into account any physical or mental limitations your child may have. Finally, make sure to provide positive reinforcement and praise for your child’s efforts.

Refer : how much physical activities your child needs each day

Gross motor activities for large groups of kids

For large groups of children, gross motor activities should be tailored to the size and skill level of the group. Running, jumping, and jumping can help children develop strength and coordination.

You can also introduce them to ball games, such as catch, soccer, and basketball.

If you have a large area, you can create obstacle courses that include crawling, jumping, or balancing.

Benefits of Gross-motor activities

Promotes good health

Gross motor activities keep the child’s body active which results in good blood circulation , strength building and overall well-being.

Encourage physical fitness

Being able to run, jump, climb or cycle or swim can improve your child’s endurance, coordination, strength and balance.

Physical fitness goes hand in hand with healthy body weight too.

Boost their confidence and self-esteem

Being physically fit, fast, flexible and agile will boost their self-confidence and help them discover themselves and their capacities.

In the long run, this will improve their total personality.

Provide an avenue for energy release

We all know that kids have heaps of energy in them. (bless them!)

It’s always a good idea to let them release that energy by doing gross motor activities so that at the end of the day, they will be tired, hungry and ready to wind up.

RELIEVE THEIR STRESS AND FRUSTRATION

Kids do get frustrated and stressed during the day’s proceedings and they tend to bottle up their big emotions.

Eventually, they can blow up anytime or every time if you don’t think of ways for them to destress.
Gross motor activities keep them active, sweat out their stress and in simple terms clear their head making them happier and more manageable.

PROMOTES BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

Many gross motor activities involve taking decisions and assessing the surrounding.

The brain receives constant stimuli when you are playing, jumping, cycling or whatever way you keep moving. The more we use our brain, the sharper it gets

ASSIST SCHOOL READINESS

Sitting upright for an entire day, endurance, social skills are essential school readiness skills that you can improve in your child by encouraging more and more gross motor activities.

BOOST THEIR ABILITY TO ASSESS RISK

Be it climbing a tree, jumping on stepping stones or riding a bicycle, gross-motor activities train your child’s brain to assess if it’s safe to do it or not. This hands-on experience can never be gained with an ipad or playing a video game.

BETTER SLEEP

A good news for parents. Gross motor activities keep the kids engaged and active and use up their energy so to regain that lost energy, their bodies require a good sleep.

If your child doesn’t sleep through the night, you can try some of these activities during the day to use their energy.

Add a hearty meal to it and Voila they will have a good night sleep.

HAPPINESS

When they can accomplish simple to complex tasks with no help, face challenges, enjoy their time with peers and have a good sleep at night at the end of the day, they are going to be happier kids with fewer and fewer tantrums every day.

Conclusion

Gross motor activities can improve a child’s fitness, cognition, social skills and overall wellbeing.

In this article, we focus on their benefits, how your child can get started in simple, easy ways leading to complex activities and developmental milestones related to gross motor skills.

Whether you’re looking for activities for pre-schoolers, school-age children, toddlers, or special needs children, there are plenty of gross motor activities to choose from.

With a little creativity and imagination, you can create fun and engaging activities that your child will enjoy.

So what are you waiting for? Get ready for some fun and exciting movement with gross motor activities for kids.

References :
https://raisingchildren.net.au/