5 Home Items to Encourage Gross Motor Play

Cooped up inside? Pull out these 5 items that you likely have lying around and get your little one’s body moving! These items also work so well in combination with our Play Box AllSet, PlayRamp, PlayBoard, PlayBeam, and WobbleBeam. 

First of all you may be wondering, “What in the world is gross motor play?!” 

‘Gross Motor Play’ is play that involves large body movements such as jumping, running, skipping, striking/hitting, throwing and more.

Here are 5 home items to facilitate some fun gross motor play!

1. Scarves

-hold a scarf and dance and make patterns or shapes in the air!

-play “mirror” and copycat each other’s scarf movements

-lay it on the floor and jump over it

-wave it on the floor like a snake

2. Beach Ball

-practice throwing and catching

-roll back and forth

-bowl to a target (knock over milk cartons)

-throw to a target (throw into a box)

3. Painters Tape

-make lines on the floor to create a path or obstacle course

-use tape lines as “balance beams”

-practice your biggest jumps and mark your longest ones with tape

-make an indoor hopscotch path

4. Balloons

-perfect for beginner throwing and catching due to their slow movement

-practice striking and play “keep it up” (start with your hand and then try a “short handed implement” like a spatula or wooden spoon)

-frog jumps over the balloon

5. Stool

-jump on and off

-plank on it on your belly

-balance on it in different poses