Physical Development: Gross Motor Skills

Picture	Activity	Hands-On Activities	Early Learning Goals
	Activity 1 Movement Games	Playing Follow The Leader Simon Says Captain's Coming! Musical Statues Jumping Beans	Communication and Language Physical Development
Activity 1 Movement Games	Movement games are essential for developing children's physical skills while also enhancing their listening abilities. These activities can be adapted for both individual and group settings, promoting engagement and coordination. Movement games serve as effective warm-ups in physical education classes, helping children to loosen up before engaging in new activities. These games not only develop physical skills such as strength, balance, and coordination but also require children to listen attentively to instructions. Activities like 'Follow the Leader' encourage children to mimic various movements, fostering concentration and physical awareness. 'Simon Says' enhances listening skills as children must follow commands only when prefaced by the phrase 'Simon says.' 'Captain’s Coming!' is a classic game that combines listening with physical actions, requiring children to perform specific movements based on verbal cues. 'Musical Statues' adds an element of fun, where children dance until the music stops, promoting balance and stillness. 'Jumping Beans' introduces a variety of movements associated with different types of beans, allowing for creativity and physical expression. These games can be played individually or in large groups, making them versatile for different settings. Markers can be used to ensure children maintain their own space during group activities, enhancing safety and organization.
	Activity 2 Ball Games	Handling The Ball Throw & Catch Bouncing The Ball Football (soccer) Team Games	Physical Development
Activity 2 Ball Games	Developing physical skills in children requires practice and can be approached through various engaging activities that enhance coordination and teamwork. The content emphasizes hands-on exercises that promote strength, balance, and energetic movement while ensuring safety and consideration for others. The lesson plan outlines a series of activities designed to help children develop physical skills through ball games. It begins by emphasizing the importance of practice in mastering physical abilities, noting that some children may find certain activities easier than others. The section on handling the ball includes exercises such as slapping the ball with each hand, moving it side to side, and rolling it on the floor. Throwing and catching techniques are introduced, encouraging children to throw the ball to head height, clap before catching, and practice with a partner. Bouncing activities focus on using a bouncy ball, with suggestions for bouncing while standing, kneeling, or sitting. Football skills are developed through dribbling and shooting exercises, while team games promote cooperation and coordination between two children. The activities are designed to be fun and engaging, fostering both individual skill development and teamwork.
	Activity 3 Balloons	Move Like A Balloon Balance & Co-ordination Throw & Catch Balloon Tennis Balloon Football	Physical Development
Activity 3 Balloons	Balloons serve as an effective tool for children to enhance their coordination and motor skills through various playful activities. The author presents a series of engaging exercises that utilize balloons to promote physical movement and balance in a fun and interactive manner. Balloons are highlighted as a beneficial resource for developing children's coordination skills due to their lightweight nature, which allows for slower movement through the air. The content suggests a sequence of movements starting with a deflated balloon, encouraging children to explore its shape and feel before inflating it and observing its flight. Children are guided to mimic the balloon's movement by starting in a crumpled position and gradually expanding into a standing shape, then collapsing back down. Activities include batting the balloon with different body parts to enhance balance and coordination. The content also introduces throwing and catching exercises, where children can practice clapping their hands while catching the balloon. Balloon tennis is suggested as a way to develop batting skills, using tennis rackets to keep the balloon in play. Additionally, balloon football activities are proposed, where children can practice kicking the balloon while avoiding obstacles. Overall, the content emphasizes the importance of playful movement in developing physical skills in children.
	Activity 4 Bean Bag Games	Balancing Throw & Catch Let's Race	Physical Development
Activity 4 Bean Bag Games	The lesson plan emphasizes the importance of using bean bags as a tool for children to develop physical skills such as balance, coordination, and strength through engaging activities. It presents various fun exercises that promote movement and skill development in a playful manner. The lesson plan outlines several activities that utilize bean bags to enhance children's physical abilities. It suggests balancing the bean bag on different body parts to improve stability and coordination. Children can explore movement while balancing, such as walking with a bean bag on their head. The content also includes throwing and catching exercises to develop hand-eye coordination, starting with simple throws and progressing to more challenging catches. Activities like throwing the bean bag from one hand to another and catching it between feet or knees are recommended. Additionally, it proposes a racing game where children can time themselves or compete against peers while retrieving bean bags from a central location. These activities align with early learning goals, promoting energetic movement and skill acquisition.
	Activity 5 Parachute Games	Warm Up Popcorn Running Under Fruit Salad Bouncing Balls Rolling The Ball	Physical Development
Activity 5 Parachute Games	Parachute games are an engaging way to promote teamwork and listening skills among children while encouraging physical activity. The author presents various games that utilize a parachute to enhance children's coordination, spatial awareness, and social interaction. Parachute games are designed to be fun and educational, making them ideal for large groups of children. These activities help develop essential skills such as teamwork and listening. A warm-up session can include stretching and energetic movements while holding the parachute. One popular game, 'Popcorn,' involves children following a story while tossing soft balls onto the parachute and reacting to commands. Another game, 'Running Under,' encourages spatial awareness as children run under the parachute based on colour commands. 'Fruit Salad' allows children to adopt fruit names and run under the parachute when their fruit is called. 'Bouncing Balls' focuses on teamwork as children work together to keep balls bouncing on the parachute. Lastly, 'Rolling the Ball' requires concentration and coordination as children lift and lower the parachute to move a ball around.

Gross Motor Skills and Physical Development Activities for EYFS

Welcome to Hands-On Education, where we strive to provide fun and engaging educational activities for primary school teachers and home educators. In this section, we will be discussing physical development gross motor skills and the wide range of activities that can help your child improve their physical abilities.

As primary school teachers and home educators, we understand the importance of developing gross motor skills in young children. Gross motor skills are the foundation for developing coordination, balance, and movement. They are one of the key components listed in the early learning goals (ELG), and we have developed five free topics within this component, each one containing multiple activity suggestions.

Activities that promote gross motor skills can be simple and fun. You can help your child develop these skills by encouraging them to run, jump, climb, and balance. Our free topics include activities such as "Obstacle Course Challenge," "Balloon Volleyball," and "Animal Yoga." These activities not only help develop gross motor skills but also promote social interaction and creativity.

We understand the time constraints of teachers and parents, which is why we have made these resources completely free and accessible anytime. By creating a free account, you can have access to all these great ideas and help your child develop their gross motor skills in a fun and engaging way. Let's make learning and development fun for our children!

How can physical education lessons be used to support gross motor skills development?

In addition to these activity suggestions, there are also a variety of resources available to support the development of gross motor skills in physical education lessons. Booklets filled with enjoyable and effective gross motor activities are a great way to target these skills through engaging games and exercises. For older learners, there are resources like the Movement Break Activities For Older Learners and the Easter Gross Motor Skills Activities that can provide further support in developing gross motor skills.

It's essential to make physical education lessons fun and engaging while focusing on improving gross motor skills. Encouraging activities like running, jumping, climbing, and balancing can help children develop these skills in an enjoyable way. Incorporating games such as Simon Says, Red Light Green Light, and Freeze Dance can also enhance coordination and balance. Ball games like basketball, soccer, and catch are excellent for improving hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills.

Balloons, bean bags, and parachute games are additional tools that can be utilized to enhance gross motor skill development. Activities like balloon volleyball, balloon tennis, bean bag toss, and parachute popcorn provide a fun and interactive way for children to improve their physical abilities while having a great time learning and growing. Remember, the key to success is ensuring that children are having fun while engaging in activities that promote their physical development and gross motor skills.

What are some examples of gross motor resources available for older learners?

Some examples of gross motor resources available for older learners include booklets with a variety of engaging and effective gross motor activities. These resources can help target gross motor skills through games and activities that are enjoyable and beneficial for older learners. Additionally, there are specific resources such as "Movement Break Activities For Older Learners" and "Older Learners: Easter Gross Motor Skills Activities" that cater to the gross motor development needs of older individuals. These resources offer a range of activities designed to enhance gross motor skills in an older learner demographic.

What ideas are included in the Activities to Develop Gross Motor Skills activities for targeting gross motor skills through engaging lessons?

The Activities to Develop Gross Motor Skills activities offer a wide array of creative and fun ideas to enhance gross motor skills through engaging lessons and games. These lessons provide a diverse range of activities carefully designed to target and support the development of gross motor skills in an enjoyable and effective manner. From active games to coordinated movements, these resources aim to provide a holistic approach to improving gross motor skills by incorporating play and interaction into the learning process.

How can the our lessons be used to support gross motor skills development?

Our lessons are designed to aid in the development of gross motor skills by integrating these skills into daily learning activities. By printing and cutting out the cards, users can have a personalized set of cards that can be utilized to promote gross motor skills development. These cards offer a practical and interactive way to engage in physical movements that target gross motor skills, providing a fun and effective method for individuals to enhance their motor skills in a structured manner. Users can use the cards to engage in various physical activities and exercises that focus on activities such as balance, coordination, strength, and endurance, thereby supporting overall gross motor skills development in an engaging and beneficial way.

Games in EYFS to Develop Physical Development

As a primary school teacher or home educator, you know how important it is to keep young children active and engaged. Gross motor activities are a great way to get kids moving energetically while also developing their physical skills. Here are some fun games that you can use in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to help children develop their gross motor skills:

Obstacle Course: Create an obstacle course using objects you have around the classroom or home. Encourage children to crawl under tables, jump over cushions, and balance on one foot. This game helps develop balance and coordination.
Follow the Leader: Choose one child to be the leader and have them move around the room in different ways, such as marching, skipping, or hopping. The other children must follow along and copy their movements. This game helps develop listening skills and gross motor skills.
Balloon Volleyball: Blow up a balloon and have children use their hands to hit it back and forth over a makeshift net (such as a piece of string). This game helps develop hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills.

Remember that these games should be fun and engaging for children, while also helping them develop important physical skills. Incorporating gross motor activities into your daily routine can help children stay active and healthy while also improving their overall well-being.

Moving Energetically in Physical Development

Movement games are an excellent way to get your child up and moving while improving their coordination and balance. These games can include activities such as Simon Says, Red Light Green Light, and Freeze Dance. Ball games, on the other hand, can help improve your child's hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills. Some examples of ball games include basketball, soccer, and catch.

Balloons can also be used in a variety of ways to help improve your child's gross motor skills. They can be used for activities such as balloon volleyball, balloon tennis, and even balloon relay races. Bean bag games are another great option to help your child improve their hand-eye coordination and balance. Some examples of bean bag games include bean bag toss, bean bag skittle, and bean bag balance.

Finally, parachute games are a fun and engaging way to improve your child's gross motor skills. These games can include activities such as parachute popcorn, parachute tag, and even parachute ball. These activities not only help your child improve their physical abilities but also provide a fun and engaging way to learn.

We hope that these activities have given you some ideas on how to help improve your child's physical development gross motor skills. Remember, the key to success is to make sure that your child is having fun while learning and growing.

Reception: Physical Development - Gross Motor Skills

Activity 1

Learn more

Activity 1

Movement Games

Activity 2

Learn more

Activity 2

Ball Games

Activity 3

Learn more

Activity 3

Balloons

Activity 4

Learn more

Activity 4

Bean Bag Games

Activity 5

Learn more

Activity 5

Parachute Games

Gross Motor Skills Activities

Activity 1

Hands-On Activities:

Activity 2

Hands-On Activities:

Activity 3

Hands-On Activities:

Activity 4

Hands-On Activities:

Activity 5

Hands-On Activities:

More Reception Topics

EYFS Book Challenge

Communication and Language

Expressive Arts and Design

Literacy

Maths

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

Phonics Guides

Physical Development: Fine Motor Skills