Fall gross motor activities for preschoolers
10+ Fall Themed Gross Motor Games
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I’m always looking for fun ways to keep the kids moving. Adding a theme is a great way to make gross motor games even more fun. There are some pretty cool ideas out there! Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorites that I’ve found to try out this fall!
Fall Themed Gross Motor Games
Check out all of the fun fall themed gross motor games that you can start using today!
- Fall is apple season! The Apple Toss is a great way to work on strength and eye-hand coordination.
- The Inspired Treehouse shares the Leaf Scramble, which also may result in a few chores getting done around the house.
- Pumpkin Relay – This is so much fun!
- Fall themed yoga poses for kids. Your kids will LOVE this activity!
- How about a fall themed movement story? This is a GREAT way to add gross motor with fun story kids can relate too.
Plus you can get this for FREE!
- I love this twist on tag with Scarecrow Tag from Childhood 101.
- I love the combination of learning and movement with the ABC Leaf Hunt from Learn Play Imagine.
- The Apple Tree Game is a great way to work on balance and strength from Teaching Mama.
- I love this Apple Skip Counting game to combine gross motor play and learning from Learn Play Imagine.
- The Apple Orchard Gross Motor Game is another fun way to use an apple theme and work on gross motor skills from The Inspired Treehouse.
- The Spider Web Gross Motor Game is perfect for October and a fun way to work on balance and strength from No Time For Flashcards.
- I love adding a theme to hopscotch with Halloween Hopscotch from The Pleasant Thing.
Fall Themed Gross Motor Planning
What themed ideas for fall? You can have those when you check out the gross motor planning ideas for different fall themes!
Fall Motor Planning- Get all of your fall themed gross motor and fine motor planning ideas here.
Apple Motor Planning– Check out all of the apple themed gross motor and fine motor planning ideas.
Pumpkin Motor Planning – How about all things pumpkin? Check out the gross motor and fine motor pumpkin ideas.
See All Fall Resource From Pink Oatmeal
Click on the links below to get a detailed view of each product! There are so many to choose from you can’t go wrong. Be sure to check out the Pink Oatmeal All-Access Pass to get your hands on EVERYTHING for free when you become an All-Access Pass member!
- Fall Themed Movement Story
- Fall Themed Movement Pack
- Fall Themed Yoga Bundle
- Fall Themed Fine Motor Activities
- Fall Themed Motor Pack
- Fall Themed Yoga
- Fall Pre-Writing Game
- Fall Themed Movement Games
- Fall Yoga
- Fall Gross Motor Digital Game
- Leaf Counting Balance Game
- Fall Themed Wheelchair Game
Fall Yoga and Movement Story
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Nothing is better than adding themes and stories to movement.
If you have ever tried a movement based story, you may find out the kids are great at listening. They keep waiting to hear what their next move will be! Creating movement stories that are associated with different themes makes it easy to incorporate movement into your classroom, home, or therapy session. I recently tried out a fall yoga and movement story and got a thumbs up from my preschool and early elementary aged kiddos! This story was created using different fall themed movements based off of the
fall themed yoga poses and movements. I’ve included this story and a description of the poses for you as a FREE download in the freebie library. The story is made even better when you combine it with one of Pink Oatmeal’s Fall Themed Yoga Cards and Printables so there is a visual component to the story. Your kids will love this!
Fall Yoga and Movement Story
Have the kids sit down and get ready to listen.
I suggest pausing at each movement or yoga pose so the kids can stop and do the pose/movement. It may be good to go over the movements and poses before even reading the story. That is where using cards as visuals can really help. Have fun and enjoy this story! The poses/movements are in bold.
It’s officially fall! You are so excited because you love this season. You are ready to get outside! While getting ready, you peek out the window. Your dad is outside raking the leaves. You hurry up and get dressed so you can go out and help. Before you can get outside, your brother/sister tells you that you need to come to the woods. They’ve built a giant fort. You start off to the woods. You notice that the l eaves are changing colors. As you are making your way through the woods to the fort, you stop to collect acorns that are on the ground. These will be a perfect addition to a fort in the woods.Suddenly, you hear some leaves rustling. You startle in hopes that it isn’t a bear. You look over your shoulder and it turns out that it is only a squirrel! Whew, that was close. You arrive at the fort to find that someone has brought pumpkins to the fort. It makes the fort look nice! You play at the fort for a while and decide to head back. On your way back through the woods you hears some noise above. When you look up you see several crows sitting in a tree. You arrive home to find that your family has made a scarecrow. It even has one of your old shirts on! As you enter your house you notice a basket of apples right by the front door. You are sure to grab one. It’s been a great day! While sitting down to eat your apple, you close your eyes, take a breath, and think about all the fun you’ve had on this fall day.
Get Your Fall Yoga and Movement Story
Get the digital format of the movement story ready and done for you along with the pictures that go with the story! Get the Fall Themed Digital Movement Story Today!
This story is FREE to you in the freebie library.
You also get a description of the poses to go along with the story. Get these today and see how much fun adding a story to movement can be!
TAKE ME TO THE FREEBIE LIBRARY
See All Fall Resource From Pink Oatmeal
Click on the links below to get a detailed view of each product! There are so many to choose from you can’t go wrong. Be sure to check out the Pink Oatmeal All-Access Pass to get your hands on EVERYTHING for free when you become an All-Access Pass member!
Click on the NAME of the resource below to see the full details!
- Fall Themed Movement Story
- Fall Themed Movement Pack
- Fall Themed Yoga Bundle
- Fall Themed Fine Motor Activities
- Fall Themed Motor Pack
- Fall Themed Yoga
- Fall Pre-Writing Game
- Fall Themed Movement Games
- Fall Yoga
- Fall Gross Motor Digital Game
- Leaf Counting Balance Game
- Fall Themed Wheelchair Game
Development of gross motor skills in a child
Website "Mom can do anything!" collected the most important information, as well as games and exercises for the development of large motor skills in a child.
The birth of a child is undoubtedly one of the most important events in the life of any person. However, with the birth of a miracle, many worries, questions and problems arise. From the first days of life, a baby needs to be taught something new, developed ... One of the most important tasks is the development of motor skills. Let's see what it is? In fact, everything is simple - it is a set of movements due to which a person performs this or that action. Motor skills happen:
- small,
- large.
We can say that the names in this case speak for themselves. The first of these is aimed at performing small movements with the hands, fingers or toes, the second on the list involves larger movements of the limbs and the whole body. A lot has been written and said about fine motor skills, so let's take a closer look at a broader concept.
Gross Motor Skills: What Every Parent Needs to Know
It is important to understand that there are many activities superimposed on gross motor skills.
In other words, if parents made a mistake in the development of their child in infancy, there is a high chance that, as the baby grows older, they will not learn how to perform certain tasks. He will not be able to cope with the correct coordination of hands and fingers - certain movements will not be available to him, or they will be constrained, it is possible that such an ailment as swaying and staggering while walking will appear. That is why in the very first months of life, the eyes of doctors are so intently riveted to babies. Despite the fact that parents often complain about long queues at clinics and expensive medicines, people in bathrobes insist on constant monitoring.
It is necessary to work with a child for several reasons, because a lot depends on the development of gross motor skills, for example, whether the child will be able to:
- hold a spoon, pen, eraser or other objects;
- speak correctly and competently;
- focus on the subject and listen even to the quietest whisper.
This list is quite impressive and can be continued indefinitely. The main thing is to understand that his happy, or, alas, unhappy childhood and later life depend on one component of a small person.
Games and exercises for the development of gross motor skills
In fact, not everything is as scary as described above, if you pay attention to the child in a timely manner, give him enough time for classes and exercises. Do not sit in the evenings at the computer, reading on the forums how to deal with the problem, but study with your son or daughter in order to avoid the need to search for such information. So, it is necessary to understand: the harmonious development of large muscles can be provided by a variety of games and exercises.
- If the baby is very small, gently and smoothly bend and unbend his arms and legs, while combining these exercises with massage. Of course, for this you can find a specialist, or learn yourself. If the child crawls or walks on his own, you need to do daily exercises.
This is not only a good habit for the future, but also a great tool for developing gross motor skills. Give him the right example: squat, swing your legs, turn your body in different directions, walk on your heels and toes. Your child will happily repeat all this after his beloved parent. - Another effective tool you will need is a ball. He can be anyone. All that is required of you is an exciting game with this item. Football, sword throwing (who is next), impromptu volleyball and much more. The main thing is that during it the baby uses all muscle groups.
- It would also be nice to "arm yourself" with a jump rope. Perhaps you even have this attribute from the past in your home. Remember how you jumped rope in physical education and street classes, and be sure to teach your baby this. The game will not only be interesting and fun for him, but will also be a good help for developing attention and coordination of movements, and this, one might say, is the basics of motor skills.
- Is it warm outside? - go outside with badminton, "grab" a basketball ball with you, a clear hit on the target will be very useful to him.
If you notice that the baby is inactive, just lies down and does not try to pull his arms and legs, does not try to raise them, does not turn his head, or an older child cannot control his movements - there is a chance that he the baby has a violation in the development of gross motor skills. In such cases, the first thing to do is to pull yourself together! Further, you should not frantically start doing exercises and exercises - a more effective method in this case is to consult a doctor. Only a specialist will prescribe competent treatment and a certain course of exercises, massage, and so on.
Each case is individual, hence the different approach to fixing the problem.
Pay as much attention to your child as possible, study with him, play, and you will be able to achieve the necessary results!
Development of gross motor skills in children
Parents, and often teachers, underestimate the need for the development of gross motor skills in children. And it is the basis for the formation of fine motor skills, which is important in preparing for school. Let's figure out what gross motor skills are, why and how to develop them.
Article content:
- What is gross motor skills
- Why develop
- Gross motor disorder in children
- How to develop gross motor skills
- Developmental games and exercises
- Output
What is gross motor skills
Gross motor skills, or general, are active body movements that involve arms, legs, torso, head. In fact, adults use these skills without thinking, and children have to master them gradually.
During the first year of life, the baby develops rapidly and learns to control his body:
- focuses his eyes;
- holds his head;
- controls arms and legs;
- is learning to sit;
- crawling;
- tries to get up;
- walks, runs, jumps.
The success of all these important processes depends on the health and life of the child.
- By the age of 2, a child masters complex general motor skills of arms and legs. The kid throws and kicks objects. Holding hands, he climbs the stairs.
- Children at the age of 3 learn to walk, run, jump more confidently.
The formation of gross motor skills occurs due to any movements: active games, copying the actions of adults and animals, sports, dancing, aerobics.
It is important to start working with your child as early as possible.
The good physical development of a preschooler is the key to his further success in school, life and the ability to avoid many problems.
Read also: what a child at the age of 2 should know and be able to do
Why develop
Without developed gross motor skills it is impossible to fully develop a person. Benefits of developing motor skills:
- strengthen the musculoskeletal system;
- improve coordination;
- provide muscle protein synthesis;
- stimulate cognitive activity;
- increase efficiency;
- develop independence;
- improve speech;
- help develop reading and writing skills;
- motivate to vigorous activity;
- form interhemispheric interaction;
- develop creativity;
- contribute to successful socialization;
- learn to control their body in space;
- contribute to the knowledge of the world and themselves.
As you can see, the value of developing gross motor skills is great. This work allows you to preserve and increase the physical and mental development of children.
Difficulties of a child with gross motor deficiency
Each child is individual and his development is uneven. It is better not to compare your child with other children. One child may start walking at 9 months and another after a year. This is fine. The main thing is to exercise regularly with the baby. However, there are criteria by which it can be determined that a child has poorly developed gross motor skills:
- drawing and writing skills are difficult;
- inability to dress and use cutlery independently;
- inability to maintain a sitting posture;
- loses orientation in space: falls, stumbles, crashes;
- lethargy;
- speaks poorly;
- cannot play with small toys;
- badly switches to a new activity;
- low self-esteem;
- is hard to communicate with peers.
If gross motor impairment is suspected, see a physician for correction.
How to develop
The main objectives of the development of gross motor skills are:
- creation of conditions for the implementation of the child's motor activity;
- development of skills to control and manage movements;
- learning coordination of actions;
- development of motor activity.
Based on the tasks, parents need to equip the space in the room, stock up on the necessary equipment and control the process. The room should have enough space for running, jumping, bending. Start with the simplest: teach your baby to do morning exercises. If you can do it outside, even better. Simple exercises are quite enough: squats, walking, turns, bends.
Buy a variety of equipment for outdoor games: balls, jump ropes, hoop. At home with a child, you can play skittles, basketball, gorodki, dodgeball.
The ideal option would be to arrange a special sports corner in the room. If this is not available, you can simply dance to your favorite music, alternating slow and fast movements.
For walks on the street, stock up on a bicycle, scooter, roller skates and other equipment according to age. In winter - skates, skis, slides. In addition, for the development of the child's motor activity, you can sign up for the nearest children's center or sports section, where ideal conditions are created for a full-fledged formation.
Household chores also help develop gross motor skills. It is necessary to load the child with feasible chores around the house. For example, sweep the floor, wipe off the table, arrange toys, hang or fold laundry.
Games and exercises for the development of gross motor skills
There are a great many exercises and games for the development of speech and gross motor skills. These can be exercises to strengthen the muscular corset, to coordinate to create spatial representations in preschool children.
Games are played in pairs or groups.
- Boat. Lying on the back with outstretched arms. The child needs to simultaneously raise straight arms, head and legs. Hold the pose for as long as possible. The same exercise can be done lying on your stomach.
- Log. Starting position as in the previous exercise. Roll with the whole body alternately to the right and left side.
- Lying on your stomach, put your hands behind your head. Elbows apart. Slowly raise your upper body while keeping your legs straight.
- "Spider". Squat down, palms lean behind. Crawl like an insect.
- Goose step. Squatting position, only hands on knees. Walk in different directions: forward, backward, left, right. You can complicate the exercise by putting a flat object on your head.
- Narrow Path. Lay out a long rope on the floor with bends and turns. Invite the child to walk along it.
On an imaginary track, you can roll cars and other toys. - Stand alternately on the right and left legs, on the toes, on the heels. Make a "swallow".
- March in place with high legs.
- Exercises with cross movements of arms and legs.
- "Hit the target." The game develops the eye well. You can purchase a traditional ring thrower or build your own from improvised material. Any container where you need to throw objects at a distance will do. This also includes options for bowling, towns, skittles.
- Ball games or fitball exercises.
Also find out what are the exercises for the development of fine motor skills in children.
Conclusion
Gross motor skills are the motor skills a child needs for full physical and mental development. Abilities are formed from an early age through simple exercises, housework, outdoor games and active sports activities.
