Musical movement is one of my favorite ways to encourage gross motor activities for kids. Catchy tunes naturally encourage whole body movement — you can’t help but dance, jump, sway, bounce. My kiddos love to go on picnics, but once we’re all set up and have eaten for a few minutes, inevitably I hear, “What are we going to do now?” Here’s a fun activity that might help you answer that very question on your next picnic!
WHAT YOU NEED: The tune of the song below and a “basket”
WHAT TO DO: This little song was adapted from Raffi’s “Going on a Picnic” to add gross motor skills. Click here to hear the tune and then substitute the words below for a gross motor twist on the song! Sing each verse as your child completes the gross motor skill to bring the item to the picnic basket. No need to use real objects — just use the power of imagination! If you would like something tangible for them to bring to the basket, print out images from the internet, cut out pictures from a magazine, use recycled containers, or even plastic food representing each picnic item.
“Going on a picnic.
JUMPING all the way.
If it doesn’t rain we’ll stay all day.
Did you bring the watermelon? (Sung by parent. Child gets the watermelon)
Going on a picnic.
JUMPING all the way.
Yes, I brought the watermelon. (Answered by child as she brings watermelon to basket)
Here we go!”
“Going on a picnic.
SKIPPING all the way.
If it doesn’t rain we’ll stay all day.
Did you bring the ______? (name a item a child has)
Yes, I brought the _____. (have child with item sing above verse)
Here we go!
Get the idea? Some other gross motor movement ideas are tip toeing, galloping, crawling, crab walking, bear walking.
HOW TO CHANGE IT UP:
-To allow your child some control over the gross motor movement he will have to do, write each movement on a slip of paper and put them inside your picnic basket. Have the child draw out a slip of paper that will determine what the gross motor task will be for the next verse.
-Hide objects around your picnic area and have your child complete the movement activity until he finds them or, if that’s too much, have him search for each item and then complete the movement back to the picnic basket.
-Have your child really think about how the item they are bringing back to the basket feels. A watermelon is very heavy, so skipping with a watermelon would be very slow! Berries might bounce all over as you jump and you may have to move your hands side to side to catch them!
SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED: Gross motor skills, coordination, motor control, bilateral coordination
Be sure to sign up for our newsletter, a weekly roundup of our favorite posts delivered right to your inbox! Simply enter your email address in the box in the sidebar and click “Subscribe”!
PHOTO CREDIT: Mykl Roventine via photopin cc (text added)
[…] Gross Motor Activities: Going on a Picnic […]