Here are some fun activities sure to get your toddler up and moving! They improve gross motor development, balance and coordination.
1. Balancing Beam
You can create a balance beam with jumbo blocks, bricks or even use a raised floor you may have at home. This helps control balance, movement and coordination.
1. Balancing Objects
Ask your child to place a spoon in their mouth. Now place a light ping pong ball on it. Encourage child to walk without dropping the ball. Another great variation is to place a book on your child’s head and getting them to walk without dropping it down. Make this into a race between you and your toddler or between siblings for an extra thrill!
3. Obstacle course
An obstacle course doesn’t require you to buy anything but simply use what you have around the house. Include tables, chairs and cushions. Encourage your child to climb over as well as crawl under things. Adding a sensory component like faux grass to crawl on or hanging ribbons to walk through or even a tub with water to splash into is beneficial.
It helps develop strength and balance. Depending on the complexity of the setup, it enhances their critical thinking and problem solving skills as they try to finish the course.
4. Jump rope
Place a jump rope in a straight line and encourage your toddler to walk over it.
5. The floor is lava
Play some music for your child to dance around the house and randomly stop the music and shout ‘The floor is lava’. At this point, your child can stand anywhere ‘except’ on the floor. They may get up on the couch or on chairs or even tables. This activity is not only fun, but also teaches your toddler to pay attention to the music and then act, thus developing the ‘listen and respond’ skill.
5. Chicken race
Do you know why the chicken crossed the road? To get to the other side! Make this old and gold joke come to life, by playing this fun gross motor game with your child. Model placing a ball between your thighs and pretending to be a chicken, you can flap your wings and go cluck cluck. Without dropping the ball (egg), you need to carefully walk or hop to lay the egg in the nest. This takes practice but is a great gross motor activity to develop muscle strength and control and is definitely a favorite among most toddlers.