Summer is here and is providing the perfect opportunity to get outside and get moving with your kids. Kids learn through movement and what better way to do so than outside in the community or in nature. From hopscotch to flower picking, there are so many wonderful gross motor and sensory experiences to dive into. Here are just a few ideas to get you outside and moving!
Sidewalk/driveway activities:
- Get some sidewalk chalk and create a good old fashioned hopscotch pattern. Hopscotch builds bilateral skills, balance and cognitive skills. Experiment with hopping on one foot as well as both feet.
- Create a balance beam on the edge of the sidewalk.
- Use chalk to create a large maze that kids can navigate through.
- Gather paint brushes and a bowl of water and “paint” the sidewalk, mailbox, and house with water. Watch it evaporate in the sun!
Nature activities:
- Climb on rocks or up trees to assist with strength building as well as sensory development.
- Take your child for a hike to provide them with the opportunity to build muscle, endurance and balance reactions.
- Jump over logs or in and out of Spring rain puddles!
- Roll down a hill.
- Pick flowers and lay in the grass to provide excellent and diverse sensory experiences.
- Gather items from nature with a particular theme. Collect things that are soft/smooth, rough/bumpy, or a particular color.
Additional outdoor activities:
- Blow bubbles.
- Ride a scooter, tricycle or bike.
- Play on a playground.
- Fly a kite.
- Jump rope.
- Create an outdoor obstacle course.
- Play frisbee.
- Grow a garden together.
*Please always provide proper supervision to ensure a safe and fun time outside!
Other resources:
Check out the Outdoor Sensory Scavenger Hunt at theinspiredtreehouse.com, or their Rainbow Scavenger Hunt to develop sensory motor and gross motor skills.
The Friendship Circle Blog has a great post with 10 Outdoor Activities That Enhance Gross Motor Skills.
Pinterest is a huge resource for ideas. Check out this board and this board for more fun ideas.