12 Gross Motor Activities for Preschoolers

Gross motor skills are movements involving the large muscle groups of the legs, arms, and torso. Our day-to-day lives involve using many gross motor skills including running, walking, bending over, and raising our arms and legs. It is crucial for preschoolers to have time each day to work on gross motor movements as they are part of the milestones children ages 3-5 should be reaching. These milestones include jumping forward, being able to hop on one foot, catching a large ball, and more.

Below are gross motor activities for preschoolers that will help them develop and reach those milestones a little more each day. 

Dance Party 

Turn on some fun, preschool-friendly music or a video and encourage preschoolers to rock out at a classroom dance party. A silly dancing session is an excellent opportunity for little ones to exercise the large muscles in their arms and legs. Dancing also helps burn off excess energy so they are better able to focus on other preschool activities that require them to be calm and ready to learn. 

Ready, set, jump! Get your preschoolers moving and grooving with this free “Fitness Fun” activity from our Kindness Connections enrichment kit! 

The Copycat Game 

The copycat game packs a serious amount of important preschool skills into one easy game that requires no equipment. It helps preschoolers work on gross motor skills when the teacher calls out movements such as hopping on one foot, skipping, and jumping. It also helps little learners work on their listening skills and impulsivity by having them carefully listen to whether the teacher says “Copycat says,” or not.  

Animal Walks  

Take preschoolers on an animal walk and encourage them to imitate various animal movements such as a bear walk, penguin walk, elephant swing, and crab walk. The only limit here is preschoolers’ imagination. Let students take turns shouting out an animal for the rest of the class to imitate and let those large muscle groups work. 

Obstacle Course  

An obstacle course to help preschoolers flex their gross motor skills doesn’t have to be complicated or even outdoors, though it certainly can be outside if you have the space. Playing “the floor is lava” using cushions, blankets, and pillows is a fun indoor obstacle course. If you are able to take it outdoors, a few cones, exercise hoops, a tunnel, a simple ramp, and some sidewalk chalk can help chart a course sure to keep preschoolers busy and moving.  

Playing on the Playground 

This may seem simple, but a good play session on playground equipment is some of the best gross motor skill-building a preschooler can do. Playground equipment can help preschoolers use those large muscle groups to run, jump, and climb. Ladders, swings, slides, and small climbing walls are all helpful in encouraging little ones to work on these critical developmental skills.  

Yoga 

Preschool-friendly yoga poses can help children learn how to control their body movements, strengthen the muscles in their arms, legs, and torso, and work on their balancing skills. Aside from the vast gross motor skill benefits, yoga can also help little ones better regulate their emotions, manage anxiety and big feelings, and reduce behavioral challenges in the classroom by giving preschoolers a physical way to express their feelings. There are many free yoga videos for preschoolers on YouTube. 

Hopscotch 

During outside time, use sidewalk chalk to draw a hopscotch board on the sidewalk or pavement. Let preschoolers toss a bean bag to see which square they need to land on and instruct them to hop through the squares, trying to hop on one foot if they are able. Hopping on one foot is an important milestone for preschoolers and gross motor skill development helps them achieve it!  

Parachute Games 

Parachute play is an excellent way to help preschoolers develop gross motor skills while having a total blast. There are endless games students can play as a class such as doing the “wave” to keep a ball bouncing on top of the parachute, pulling it down tight so it billows up and creates a dome, running in a circle while everyone holds the parachute with one hand, and more. Play fun music to keep the energy high while little ones get their wiggles out.  

Follow-the-Leader 

A good game of follow-the-leader can help preschoolers develop gross motor skills and learn to listen and pay attention to their peers. Encourage line leaders to skip, hop on one foot, jump forward, run in place, and raise their arms.  

Exercise Hoop Play 

Using an exercise hoop doesn't just mean rotating it around your hips. Exercise hoops can provide endless opportunities for gross motor development by using the toy as a prop. Lay them on the floor as part of “the floor is lava” making the exercise hoops “safe zones”. Set out water balloons or small toys and have preschoolers gently kick them around until they land in one of a few hoops laying on the floor. Lay out exercise hoops in a path outdoors and let students jump or run from hoop to hoop.  

Bear Hunt 

A game of bear hunt is a preschool classic based on the book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Wayne Rosen and Helen Oxenbury. It allows children to use their big imaginations while working on gross motor skills and problem-solving. Try to plan the walk in an area with things to climb over such as rocks, logs, steps, and other objects. Ask students to bring their own teddy bears to class and get ready to explore together while working on walking, running, climbing, and skipping skills. 

Balloon Volleyball 

Let preschool students work on arm and core strength, balance, and hand-eye coordination with a game of balloon volleyball. The “net” can be as simple as a piece of yarn taped to two large objects (desks, shelves, tables, or even the wall will suffice). Encourage students to keep the balloon aloft for as long as they can without letting it hit the floor. 

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About the Author:

Valerie Williams is a seasoned writer and editor who has spent her career creating content in the parenting and women's wellness spaces. Her bylines include Scary Mommy, SheKnows, Forbes Health, and others. When she's not helping women and families live their best and healthiest lives, she's spending time with her husband and teen kids, walking her dogs, reading, cooking, or attending HIIT classes at the gym.