Build Bonds and Gross Motor Skills with Preschoolers

What You Need To Know

Playing outside is great for kids in lots of ways. It helps expel energy, exposes them to nature and builds gross-motor skills with benefits.

• Gross motor skills work the large muscles necessary for the actions of a growing child.
• Besides burning calories it helps kids develop muscles and feed the brain with glucose, oxygen and water.
• Time on the playground improves confidence and competence to take part in physical activity for a lifetime.

How Can You Help

In order to help your child build their gross-motor skills in time for elementary school you’ll have to get moving. Here are some games that encourage them to practice in developmentally appropriate ways:

• In and Around - Set up an obstacle course using large empty boxes, chairs, or other pieces of furniture, jump ropes, and small items to move around. Then lead your child through the maze!

• Chasing Bubbles - Want to give your child a reason to hop? Take him or her outside and have your child try and catch the bubbles you blow.

• Follow the Leader - Even if it’s just you and your child it’s a great chance to practice motor skills. Lead the way around the house or backyard, performing action skills for them to copy along the way.

• Traffic Lights - For this game you’ll need three large pieces of paper or cardboard. One red, one green, and one yellow. When you hold up the green paper, the children walk. When you hold up the yellow, they walk in place. At the sight of the red, they stop and wait.

Working on gross-motor skills is fun way to build bonds, fun and muscles for all those involved.