The possibilities for gross motor activities for preschoolers are endless – but we’ve rounded up a few of our favorites here. Try one (or more) of these fun ways to get moving with your 3 to 5-year-old!
A great deal of our school-based therapy practice focuses on preschoolers. And we love this age group! Why? Because by 3 years old, kids are little bigger, a little sturdier, and ready for all kinds of gross motor action! They love to climb, jump, explore and play rough – all great for building those gross motor skills!
Gross Motor Activities for Preschoolers
1 || Throwing, catching, and kicking
Make a bean bag stomp and catch game (I Can Teach My Child) for some great practice with eye hand coordination. Try this quick tip for teaching kids how to kick a ball. Check out some of our favorite balls for kids that we use in our therapy practice.
2 || Running and tag games
Preschoolers are ready for games with more structured rules like Line Tag, Rabbit Hole, or one of these fun and easy running games from Lessons Learnt Journal.
3 || Animal walks
Walking like different animals (Pediatric Therapy Center) can be a great way to work on motor planning and coordination – and it’s just plain fun!
4 || Rough play
Like we said, preschoolers love rough house play! Tackling, crashing, and rolling around on the floor are some of our kids’ favorite activities! Try some of these fun rough house play activities for kids!
5 || Jumping
Jumping is awesome for providing proprioceptive input – hopscotch and other jumping games are perfect for this! Check out Show Me Some Love Hopscotch or Acorn Hopscotch for some fun new ways to play! Here are some quick tips for teaching kids how to jump.
6 || Moving and learning
We’re big believers that kids learn best when they’re moving! How about a movement game that teaches the letters of the alphabet (No Time for Flashcards)?
7 || Group and cooperative games
This is the perfect age to introduce teamwork and cooperation – this Wacky Relay activity is hilarious and has become a tried and true favorite in our preschool classrooms!
8 || Scooters
Kids will get a kick out of flying across the living room or down the hallway on this simple (but awesome!) toy. Try one of these great scooter activities for kids!
9 || Streamers
Have kids imitate your movements with the streamers or encourage them to invent their own! Here are some of our favorite ways to play with streamers.
10 || Movement songs
Moving to music is so great for drawing tentative or reluctant kids out of their shells. And using music is an awesome way to incorporate movement breaks throughout the day. These movement songs from Growing Hands On Kids are perfect for this age group.
11 || Body Bridges
This activity is a fun way to keep everyone entertained for 30 minutes and is also an amazing core strengthening and upper body strengthening workout! Check out the instructions for body bridges here.
Learn more about developmental milestones for babies and toddlers. And find out more about preschool milestones too!
Check out some of our other favorite ideas for preschoolers:
Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
Sensory Activities for Preschoolers
