• WEEKLY GROSS MOTOR ACTIVITIES

     

    • GROSS MOTOR BALANCE ACTIVITIES  

    1. This is an exercise program which includes 8 different activities to work on balance.  Please click the link below to view this program.
    2. BALANCE ACTIVITIES PROGRAM
    3. Balance is important to develop as it helps with many mobility skills and with participating in fun activities. Balance and core strength go hand-in-hand...any time you are working on balance, your core and trunk stabilizing muscles are engaged and working hard.

     

    • PLAY A GAME OF SIMON SAYS  

    1. This is a fun activity for kids which you can use to motivate your child to work on a variety of skills including balance, coordination/motor planning, and strength. Imitating others is also an important piece of learning new skills.  Get the whole family involved!
    2. Get creative with what you have your child imitate.  Have them jump up and down 10 times.  Have them balance on 1 leg.  Have them run around the house. Have them throw, catch, or kick a ball. Have them imitate different animals. 
    3. Let your child have an opportunity to be the leader.  Have fun!

     

    • MORE YOGA POSES 

    1. Click on the links below for more yoga poses.  Hold a pose for about 1-2 breaths.  You may increase the time of the hold as you gain experience and tolerance.
    2. Do not do any poses that increase pain or aggravate symptoms.

     

    • GROSS MOTOR JUMPING PROGRAM  

    1. This is an exercise program which includes 9 different jumping activities. Please click on the link below to view this program.
    2. Gross Motor - Jumping Program

     

    • GROSS MOTOR LEG EXERCISE PROGRAM  

    1. This is an exercise program which includes 9 different exercises to work on strengthening the lower extremities.  Please click the link below to view this program.
    2. Gross Motor - Leg Exercise Program

     

    • BALLOON VOLLEYBALL  

    1. This is a fun activity for kids that will help sharpen coordination/motor planning, visual-motor skills, and balance. Also a great activity to try outside, as long as it's not too windy :) 
    2. Get a balloon and create some sort of marker that you and your child can stand on opposite sides of.  This could be as simple as a line on the floor (although the activity could be done without a line). 
    3. Use your hands to hit the balloon back and forth to each other, doing your best to keep the balloon from hitting the floor. 
    4. Count with your child how many times you can hit the balloon before it touches the floor.
    5. Challenge: Use your feet instead of your hands!
    6. Challenge: Have your child see how many times in a row they can hit the balloon all by themselves without letting it hit the floor! 

     

    • PRACTICE JUMPING ACTIVITIES  

    1. Jumping is a great activity that incorporates multiple components of gross motor skill such as lower extremity strength, motor planning/coordination, and balance.
    2. Provide your child with some fun opportunities to jump.  Provide the level of support your child needs.  Whether your child is able to complete the jumping activities without assistance, requires a hand to hold, or needs to hold both of your hands, please make sure to help them practice their jumping safely.  Here are some ideas:
      • Challenge them to see how far they can jump. Have them jump as far forward as they can from a starting point.  Mark where their toes land with a piece of tape or some type of marker.  Now, see if they can beat it.  Try the same with 1 leg if they're able.
      • Shape Hopscotch 
        • Cut different, easily recognizable paper shapes (add to the challenge by making them different colors too. For example, yellow circles, red squares, green ovals, purple squares, blue triangles, orange triangles).
        • Tape the shapes to the floor with painters tape.
        • Now, simply tell your child to jump from shape to shape. Then, give them specific shapes to jump to.  Or, if you did colors, tell them specific colors to jump to.
      • Jump over obstacles.  Find different objects that your child can safely jump over.  This may be as simple as a taped line on the floor.  Or, it may be a small pillow or a rolled up towel.  Now, see if they can jump side to side over it.  Forward and back?  How many times can they jump over it in 30 seconds?  
      •  Click this link and try the lily pad hopping game: Lily Pad Hopping Game
    3. Add to the challenge by seeing if they can do any of the activities by jumping on 1 leg or by alternating 2-footed jumps with 1-footed jumps.

     

    • PLAY CATCH  

    1. Playing catch is great for upper extremity coordination and visual motor skills.  It can also be a way to work on balance.
    2. Choose an appropriate ball.  A tennis ball will be more challenging than a medium sized ball (about 6 inches in diameter).
    3. If your child needs a little help, let them know when the ball will be thrown by counting to 3 before you throw.
    4. See how many in a row you can catch as a team.  
    5. Make the activity harder or easier by adjusting the distance between the two of you.
    6. Challenge your child's balance and reactions by throwing the ball to their side and making them reach or step to catch it.  Or vary how you throw the ball (high, low, faster, slower).
    7. If you are using a ball that is filled with air, you can make it easier to catch by letting some air out (if your child needs this help). 
    8. You can also try taping a square on the wall as a target for them to throw at.  See how far they can get from the wall and still hit the target.

     

    • ANIMAL YOGA  

    1. Click on the link and practice animal poses. Animal Yoga Poses. 
    2. These can be a lot of fun, especially when taking turns doing them with a sibling or parent!

     

    • BALANCE CHALLENGE

    1.  Using tape on the floor, create a line to walk along like a tight rope. 
    2. Add to the challenge by making some turns or zig-zags with the line and/or balance an object (like a bean bag or pillow) on your head.

     

    • PRONE POSITION ACTIVITIES

    1. Spending time on your stomach can help strengthen the muscles on your back! 
    2. Try doing different activities like drawing, doing a puzzle, or looking at a book. 
    3. Here's a link with more great ideas for activities you can do on your stomach: Prone Position: 14 Fun Activities