Gross Motor Play

[mamamanda]

What ideas do you have for indoor gross motor play/games that don't require a lot of prep? I'm thinking like duck, duck, goose... musical chairs, weighted bean bag races, animal walks (imitating crabs, frogs, etc)...Am I missing any good ones?

[daycarediva]

I've been just blowing bubbles, putting on music, turning off lights/flashlights, giving them a beach ball, balloons, scarves.

My kids loathe the actual games, but if I give them materials, they're quick to invent new ones.

[mamamanda]

I've been just blowing bubbles, putting on music, turning off lights/flashlights, giving them a beach ball, balloons, scarves.

My kids loathe the actual games, but if I give them materials, they're quick to invent new ones.

That sounds fun! My kids love flashlights! They would enjoy that.

[Jamie]

Like we ever do anything else!!
A mattress on the floor so they can jump... Maybe jump from chairs/table if you deem it safe...

Turn up the music and dance! I dance with my DCKs every afternoon, it's fun and good for all of us 😊

I have a box of small, soft balls. Sometimes we clean up evertyhing else and go nuts with the balls.

If you have a large gymnastics ball, let them go nuts with that.

I feel that it's very natural for kids to use their whole body, and that for us it is more about providing the opportunities for using their gross motor skills than actually teaching them a bunch of games with all kinds of rules...

[Tin Blues]

Pool noodle bats and balloons. Simon says. YouTube videos using scarves or rhythm sticks.

[Indoorvoice]

I don't do actual games because I don't have a big group. But we have big bouncy balls and exercise balls that they love pushing around and rolling on. They like it when I roll the balls over them too. We pile couch cushions and pillows on the floor and jump and crawl all over them. Kids yoga on YouTube is awesome when I can't be right there. Also GoNoodle and Learning Station has great movement songs. I don't count it as screen time because they're busy. As soon as they start sitting or ignoring it, it goes off. I've tied yarn all over the room to make a giant spider web and the kids go over and under the strings to get to the other side. If they have a lot of energy, heavy work is great! I fill diaper boxes with heavy items and have races where they have to push the box to the other side. You could use sleds too to incorporate pulling. Also, we do animal walks (walk like a bear, crab, frog, etc)

[rosieteddy]

I had a bunch of pull toys like dogs ,fisherprice stuff.You know when there was a decent string to pull. I put ribbons on them and kept them in a box just for marching time.Iwas lucky to have a three season porch off the kitchen. I put coats on ,music and a oval rug in the middle of the room.they marched together and sang it was great.I also had some wheeled riding toys that never went outside.The kids loved this and Iliked the breakup of the morning or afternoon.Ialso had 3 large spring horses and 3 rockig horses in the corner for everyone.We sang that old romper room song "Oh come with us and gallop"and they lovedit.

[Blackcat31]

I don't encourage indoor gross motor play.
That is for outside.

The toddlers in my toddler room have a Little Tikes cube climber in their room and a few large exercise balls but that's all. I don't allow throwing of anything in the house. Not even soft materials....

I have a morning yoga and/or dance session with the kids as part of our morning routine but I would never let the kids jump, run or play games such as Ring-Around-the-Rosy or Musical Chairs indoors.

We go outside daily and run/walk/play so the kids get an opportunity to burn off excess energy outside.

Otherwise indoors play is limited to smaller motor skills and less jumping/running type activities. My space doesn't really allow for it and it's just not something I want to encourage or teach the kids to do.

[storybookending]

I too discourage anything that involves running while inside as we don’t really have the space for it so it is a safety issue.

What about a balance beam or putting painters tape on the floor in different patterns (zig zags, broken lines, straight lines) for the children to “balance on” like an obstacle course.

[MrsJ]

We like balloon races, bowling, golf with cups, and bean bag toss, bouncing. Kids do love musical chairs. I have to mark off a separate area and make sure they know it's for a short time so we don't encourage too much and start running.
Want to get the cups for feet and some of the plastic balance things to set up also

[Ariana]

I sing and make rhymes about running around the room. So for example “Johnny, johnny, running ‘round the room, Johnny Johnny, going zoom zoom zoom”. Or “Lucy Lucy you are running really fast, Lucy Lucy, don’t run out of gas”. That type of thing. The kids go nuts when I do this and I make sure to name them all as they are running around.

I have an indoor swing and trampoline as well and it is a must for indoor days. My basement is my gross motor space as well as outdoors.

[Country Kids]

I have no room for activities like this but suppose to have something in my portfolio plan for indoor gross motor skills in case we are unable to go outside.

I never allowed my children to throw things, run, jump off stuff, etc inside the house so dcc definitely not going to be allowed to. I just picture all that can go wrong.

Since I have to have it though we do dance, blow bubbles and other smaller scaled large motor skills. Honestly though, I rarely have to do them because of the weather.

[Jamie]

If I had an older group, I would discourage indoor gross motor play as well.
But I don't keep anyone past their third birthday, and I believe that the baby and toddler age is all about getting to know your body and use it as much as possible 😊

[mamamanda]

If I had an older group, I would discourage indoor gross motor play as well.
But I don't keep anyone past their third birthday, and I believe that the baby and toddler age is all about getting to know your body and use it as much as possible 😊

Mine are all 3 & under as well except for my oldest ds & he is at school during the day. I find it helps in the winter.

[BrynleeJean]

those are great ideas, but my group was too mixed in age to do the "games" with rules like that so i stuck to things more simple i guess. some of our favorites were..
-yoga, led by my or the cosmic kids youtube channel lady- Mr Clown you may be able to find in on youtube its a game- freeze dance- copy dance- "ball basket ball" (bad name i know) id take like 200 of those colorful balls and dump them everywhere and hold a laundry basket above my head and call out a color and have them throw that color ball into the basket, make it harder by moving the basket side to side or walking with it- popping bubbles- taking out some tunnels