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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Gross Motor Play
mamamanda 03:32 AM 02-22-2018
What ideas do you have for indoor gross motor play/games that don't require a lot of prep? I'm thinking like duck, duck, goose... musical chairs, weighted bean bag races, animal walks (imitating crabs, frogs, etc)...Am I missing any good ones?
daycarediva 03:38 AM 02-22-2018
I've been just blowing bubbles, putting on music, turning off lights/flashlights, giving them a beach ball, balloons, scarves.
My kids loathe the actual games, but if I give them materials, they're quick to invent new ones.
My kids loathe the actual games, but if I give them materials, they're quick to invent new ones.
mamamanda 04:09 AM 02-22-2018
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I've been just blowing bubbles, putting on music, turning off lights/flashlights, giving them a beach ball, balloons, scarves.
My kids loathe the actual games, but if I give them materials, they're quick to invent new ones.
That sounds fun! My kids love flashlights! They would enjoy that.I've been just blowing bubbles, putting on music, turning off lights/flashlights, giving them a beach ball, balloons, scarves.
My kids loathe the actual games, but if I give them materials, they're quick to invent new ones.
Jamie 04:23 AM 02-22-2018
Like we ever do anything else!!
A mattress on the floor so they can jump... Maybe jump from chairs/table if you deem it safe...
Turn up the music and dance! I dance with my DCKs every afternoon, it's fun and good for all of us 😊
I have a box of small, soft balls. Sometimes we clean up evertyhing else and go nuts with the balls.
If you have a large gymnastics ball, let them go nuts with that.
I feel that it's very natural for kids to use their whole body, and that for us it is more about providing the opportunities for using their gross motor skills than actually teaching them a bunch of games with all kinds of rules...
A mattress on the floor so they can jump... Maybe jump from chairs/table if you deem it safe...
Turn up the music and dance! I dance with my DCKs every afternoon, it's fun and good for all of us 😊
I have a box of small, soft balls. Sometimes we clean up evertyhing else and go nuts with the balls.
If you have a large gymnastics ball, let them go nuts with that.
I feel that it's very natural for kids to use their whole body, and that for us it is more about providing the opportunities for using their gross motor skills than actually teaching them a bunch of games with all kinds of rules...
Tin Blues 04:47 AM 02-22-2018
Pool noodle bats and balloons. Simon says. YouTube videos using scarves or rhythm sticks.
Indoorvoice 06:09 AM 02-22-2018
I don't do actual games because I don't have a big group. But we have big bouncy balls and exercise balls that they love pushing around and rolling on. They like it when I roll the balls over them too. We pile couch cushions and pillows on the floor and jump and crawl all over them. Kids yoga on YouTube is awesome when I can't be right there. Also GoNoodle and Learning Station has great movement songs. I don't count it as screen time because they're busy. As soon as they start sitting or ignoring it, it goes off. I've tied yarn all over the room to make a giant spider web and the kids go over and under the strings to get to the other side. If they have a lot of energy, heavy work is great! I fill diaper boxes with heavy items and have races where they have to push the box to the other side. You could use sleds too to incorporate pulling. Also, we do animal walks (walk like a bear, crab, frog, etc)
rosieteddy 06:12 AM 02-22-2018
I had a bunch of pull toys like dogs ,fisherprice stuff.You know when there was a decent string to pull. I put ribbons on them and kept them in a box just for marching time.Iwas lucky to have a three season porch off the kitchen. I put coats on ,music and a oval rug in the middle of the room.they marched together and sang it was great.I also had some wheeled riding toys that never went outside.The kids loved this and Iliked the breakup of the morning or afternoon.Ialso had 3 large spring horses and 3 rockig horses in the corner for everyone.We sang that old romper room song "Oh come with us and gallop"and they lovedit.
BrynleeJean 01:53 PM 02-23-2018
those are great ideas, but my group was too mixed in age to do the "games" with rules like that so i stuck to things more simple i guess. some of our favorites were..
-yoga, led by my or the cosmic kids youtube channel lady- Mr Clown you may be able to find in on youtube its a game- freeze dance- copy dance- "ball basket ball" (bad name i know
) id take like 200 of those colorful balls and dump them everywhere and hold a laundry basket above my head and call out a color and have them throw that color ball into the basket, make it harder by moving the basket side to side or walking with it- popping bubbles- taking out some tunnels
-yoga, led by my or the cosmic kids youtube channel lady- Mr Clown you may be able to find in on youtube its a game- freeze dance- copy dance- "ball basket ball" (bad name i know
) id take like 200 of those colorful balls and dump them everywhere and hold a laundry basket above my head and call out a color and have them throw that color ball into the basket, make it harder by moving the basket side to side or walking with it- popping bubbles- taking out some tunnels
flying_babyb 12:28 PM 02-25-2018
snowball fights!
We have a bunch of those yarn style pom pom balls and we clear the furniture and go to town! I hang up a few hulu hoops for targets and there busy for hours
We have a bunch of those yarn style pom pom balls and we clear the furniture and go to town! I hang up a few hulu hoops for targets and there busy for hours
Mad_Pistachio 05:57 PM 02-25-2018
okay, this can't be done just anywhere or even at any time, but we play what kids called "sleeping animals."
I turn the lights off in the room (it's semi-dark) and they all lay down on the floor. I say something like "when you wake up, I want to see..." and name an animal/pet/bird/insect (kittens, penguins, snakes, butterflies, etc.) and I turn the lights on. they move like that animal for some time, then I turn the lights off and say, "good night, [animals]!" they lay back down, and we go again, "when you wake up, I want to see..." and so on.
when I need them to do something else, I end with "when you wake up, I want to see children [doing whatever I need them to do]."
they ask for it 2-3 times a day.
I turn the lights off in the room (it's semi-dark) and they all lay down on the floor. I say something like "when you wake up, I want to see..." and name an animal/pet/bird/insect (kittens, penguins, snakes, butterflies, etc.) and I turn the lights on. they move like that animal for some time, then I turn the lights off and say, "good night, [animals]!" they lay back down, and we go again, "when you wake up, I want to see..." and so on.
when I need them to do something else, I end with "when you wake up, I want to see children [doing whatever I need them to do]."
they ask for it 2-3 times a day.