Summer Fun for Preschoolers • Gross Motor Development
Sometimes simple and cheap ideas are the best to provide entertainment and develop fine and gross motor development and eye hand coordination. Here are a few of my favorite ideas:
Flash Light Fun Scavenger Hunt
Turn off the lights and hide some objects around the house. Have your child find each one with a flash light.
Balloon Toss
Blow up several balloons and toss them back and forth. Try moving closer to each other and farther away from each other. Use your hands, elbows, legs and head to hit the balloon.
Hula Hoop Hooray
Lay 4 hula hoops on the ground. Give instructions such as “run to the red hula hoop and pretend to be a car,” or “hop over to the green hula hoop like a bunny.”
The classic Egg Race
Using plastic eggs, race from one end of the yard to the next holding the egg on a serving spoon (or a measuring cup or smaller spoon, depending on the dexterity of your child). See how far your child can get without dropping/breaking an egg.
Here is a great product (that is certainly not necessary, but a smart idea to use over and over again)
http://www.mastermindtoys.com/Egg-and-Spoon-Race-Game.aspx
Sidewalk Chalk Simon Says
Draw large shapes, letters of the alphabet, numbers, etc. using sidewalk chalk. Say “Simon says stand on the yellow square,” or “Simon says sit on the number 5.” For more advanced kids, try multiple step instructions like “Simon says run to number 14, then hop over to number 20.” This is a fun way to work on recognition of higher numbers, lowercase letters, etc.
Doggy Doggy Where’s Your Bone (a favorite in our house!)
Take turns hiding the bone in various places around the room or in the yard. Have the child close his eyes while you hide the object and sing the song!:
Doggy, Doggy, where’s your bone?
Somebody stole it from your home.
Guess who! Maybe you . . .
Maybe the monkeys from the zoo.
Wake up doggy, find your bone.
Heading to the PARK? .. Remember to take these essentials with you.
Lauren is a registered occupational therapist working in Toronto. She has worked and trained in a variety of community, school and hospital settings, She has an interest in working with children and adults on motor development, co-ordination, fine and gross motor skills and adaptations for play, self-care and productivity.
