If you have toddlers at home, you know how busy and active they can be! Finding time to add gross motor activities for toddlers into their daily routine is important for their development, and crucial for your sanity!
As a former preschool teacher, and now mama to 2! I have picked my personal favorite gross motor activities that are perfect for toddlers!
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What Are Examples Of Gross Motor Skills?
From the time a baby is born, and throughout childhood. children engage in whole-body movements which are gross motor skills, here are a few examples of gross motor skills.
What Are The Best Gross Motor Activities For Toddlers?
The best gross motor activities are ones that get the entire body up and moving. Like riding a bike or scooter outdoors, climbing the stairs at a park, or even throwing a ball back and forth with a parent. These are simple, but very effective gross motor activities!
Gross motor skills are activities that require whole-body movement, which is extremely beneficial for babies, and young children!
5 Gross Motor Activities For Toddlers At Home
1. Couch Play | Play Couches
A new concept to me, but extremely fun for small children. There are a lot of play couches available nowadays. Be sure to check out my article on the best nontoxic play couches! However, don’t feel like buying a play couch is the only option, because it’s not! You can use the cushions from your current couch to create fun forts, slides, and jumping platforms for your child to play on.
2. Getting Outdoors
A lot of gross motor skills are simple, and require no prep at all! Getting outdoors is one of them. Going for a walk, riding a bike, or even going to the local park. These are all great gross motor activities for toddlers!
Recent studies have found that children who spend time exploring nature are mentally more happier, it goes to show that getting outdoors can be a mood booster for kids and adults!
3. Pikler Triangle | Indoor Climbing Toys
A Favorite amongst the Montessori community. The pickler triangle is a great gross motor tool for indoor climbing and playing. Pickler triangles are great for climbing, sliding, and balancing! All great gross motor activities for toddlers!
Pikler triangles can help in the development of gross motor skills by improving balance and coordination, and promoting physical development and confidence!
4. Dancing
A pre-bedtime favorite in my house! Sometimes all you need to do is turn on some music and start dancing. Most toddlers love to move and dance, so this should be an easy gross motor activity you could incorporate into your day-to-day routine!
Dancing and music a great tools for teaching toddlers how to express themselves, encourage imagination and creativity, and also engage the brain. I like to play music that requires them to listen and participate, which fosters listening!
5. Ballon Toss
Another simple, but effective activity that we do very often. Make sure to clear the floor, and watch how much fun your toddler has with keeping the balloon off the floor.
This is an amazing gross motor activity for toddlers because it requires them to move their entire body to keep the ballon off the floor, all while focusing on the ballon!
6. Balance Bikes | Scooters
Our go-to summertime activity! Balance bikes and scooters are great to have for toddlers! They both require a great deal of concentration, balance, and whole-body movement!
The benefit of balance bikes vs traditional tricycles is that balance bikes require a great deal of balance, coordination, and core muscle engagement. Which is a great skill for kids to learn before taking on a traditional bicycle.
Many parents have said their child has a smoother transition to a traditional bike after learning how to use a balanced bike!
7. Obstacle Courses
Obstacles courses can be done indoors or outdoors! using what you already have around the house, put your imagination to the test and create a fun obstacle course for your toddler.
Obstacles courses require whole-body movement, but they also require a great deal of problem-solving skills, coordination, and more. Making this one of my favorite gross motor activities for toddlers!
The article was about 7 gross motor activities for toddlers
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