Let’s work on gross motor skills! Summer offers families a break from school and an amazing opportunity to be outside and grow together. Enablr Therapy has created a three-blog series that offers suggestions for fun-filled family activities that can be done outside. Each blog will focus on a different aspect of development and suggest activities that embrace the summer fun!
This particular blog offers ideas that focus on gross motor skills from some of Enablr’s therapists. Enablr’s therapists make therapy fun! Contact us to learn more!
Riding bikes, hiking, playing ball, swimming, washing a car, climbing, and swinging on playground equipment are all great summertime ways to get moving! Below are some additional suggestions for extra special family fun!
Gross Motor Skill Activities
Water Balloon Yo-Yos:
Fill a balloon with just enough water that it starts to expand. Tie on a rubber band or two. This simple invention bring enjoyment by making the balloon bounce up and down while trying to catch it or spinning around to launch it in the air. Enjoy the surprising and cool refreshment when it unexpectedly pops!
For assembly directions, see Mombrite’s Simple Water Balloon Yoyos article.
Paper Airplanes
Get plenty of movement by throwing and catching your paper plane creations. Plus, there is an added bonus of working on fine motor skills when folding! See how far and high your plane can go and even try to do a loopty-loop in the sun! Take a summer trip without leaving your yard!
Fold’N’Fly’s Paper Airplane Designs has 12 different plane patterns with varying difficulty levels.
Pool Noodle Obstacle Course
Pool Noodles are fun in the water and on land! Create any obstacle course in your yard using pool noodles. The noodles can be staked to the ground to form arches for crawling under or kicking balls through. Rings can be made by duct taping the ends together to form a circle for throwing balls into, creating ring tosses, or making an agility course. So many gross motor skill challenges to choose from!
For complete instructions, go to PBS Kids Pool Noodle Obstacle Course.
Yard Twister
Spray paint rows of red, green, blue and yellow dots on the grass using a cardboard stencil. The circle stencil should be about 8-inches in diameter, and there should be about 4 inches between each dot (horizontally and vertically). This game allows you to work on balance, movement, and core muscle strength as you reach, bend, and twist!
Use a Twister spinner or make your own with a free spinner template from Kidspot.
Super Soaker Sponge Ball Toss
Cut inexpensive sponges into strips and tie them up in the middle with rubber bands (or hair ties) to make super soaker sponge balls and liven up a hot summer day! Undoubtedly, whether you toss the soaker sponge balls back and forth or have a water war, everyone will have fun cooling off while working on their throwing and running skills.
For specific instructions on how to make a soaker sponge ball, see the article Super Soaker Sponge Balls.
Gigantic Bubble Maker
Fun for young children to chase and pop, and a motor challenge for older kids and adults to make the largest bubble possible, gigantic bubbles are sure to bring out giggles for everyone! Using dowel rods, cotton rope, and a special bubble solution, amazing bubbles are created by waving arms in the air and moving!
To learn the specifics for creating gigantic bubbles, check out the article by Real Housemoms called How To Make Bubbles- Giant Size!
Marble Painting
Place paper and drops of paint in the bottom of a box or tray. Then, using the large muscles in the arms and body, hold and tilt the box or tray, so the marbles roll through different colors to create an abstract picture. Painting outside allows the kids to move without worry of a mess.
Need further directions, check out the instructions from Kid Friendly Things To Do
