3 of Our Favorite Gross Motor Activities

 

 Everyday I try to do some gross motor activities with Adeline.  We always crawl and hang from a monkey bar but here are a few others that we try to add in.

1.  Stand up, Sit down - I stack a pile of our mats to create a stool.   I hold an animal in the air and Adeline will stand up to grab the animal and sit down and throw it in a basket.  This activity works her legs and core.    

   

                                       

2.  Scooter Pull - Adeline sits on the scooter, grabs an animal and I pull her across the room to throw her animal into the box.   

 3.  Step, Step Throw - I create two steps with our mats.  Adeline will choose an animal step across the steps and throw her animal in.  Then back to get another animal.

As you can see we have many beany babies.  Whenever I see one at a yard sale I grab it.  They are very motivating for all our activities.
 

Activities For a Platform Swing

The weather is amazing here and we have been playing outside.  Last summer Adeline's grandpa built her this great platform swing and we have been doing many different activities on it.

First - Puzzles, both sitting on the tummy.  The whole time the swing is moving gently to challenge her balance and work the core strength.

Being on her tummy works on upper body strength. 

 Second - Adding rings to stacker both sitting and on the tummy.

Third -  Adding pegs to a pegboard.  I had to hold this in front of her but it worked great.

Fourth - Reading flashcards.

Fifth - popping bubbles.  I do not have a picture of Adeline popping bubble but this is also fun to do. 

I Really Thought It Would Be To Hard

One thing I have to keep learning is to never put limits on any of my children.  It can be so easy to do at times that I don't even know I am doing it.  I am so grateful for some great therapist in Adeline's life that are not putting limits on her.   Recently she learned to play catch and throw on a wobble board, I thought "no way" but her therapist said "YES".  I was scared but she is doing it.  I am so proud.

Walking On The Pillows

Adeline has been walking for almost a year now.  I know many of you have asked, Adeline is 3 she will be four in April.  She really needs to work on strengthening her core and improving balance.  So we have been walking the the pillows.  When we first started I had to hold her hand while doing this but now I just need to spot her a bit.

I set up our track and add various pillows and cushions and she will walk back and forth.  She was also doing her therapeutic listening while doing this.  Sorry the pictures are a little blurred.

If you child is not walking yet crawling over the pillows is also great.  I still have Adeline crawl also to build up her upper body strength.

I think she is done. 

Stepping Along

It amazes me everyday the gross motor skills that we take for granted.  Until I had Adeline I never thought of how to teach many different gross motor skills, they just came naturally.  With her we have to work so hard on each skill because of her low muscle tone.

Adeline struggles with steps and stairs.  She would rather crawl up them, so we are working on this.  Stepping also requires core strength.

I took her floor mats and made three steps.  We also had a pile of beany babies that Adeline was going to take to her hoop one at a time.

I know she looks a little funny, I used a head band to keep her ear phones on.  One day she will get me for this.

Fine Motor Sorting

This is a simple sorting activity that can be done at many different levels.  If you child has been working on sorting for a while I recommend using at least three bottles, if they are a beginner start with two.  If you are not sorting yet but what to work on colors or fine motor just use one bottle and one color.

I'm sorry I should have removed the green balls from the bowl for this sort.  It should just show red and yellow balls.

Also this should have just had red balls.  While doing this activity you can work on speech while putting "red ball in".

We also did this activity while siting on the bosu ball.  This works our fine motor and gross motor together.  Sorry the lighting is not great.

A bosu ball this a great piece of exercise equipment sort of like a half yoga ball.  I love it because I can have Adeline sit on it and I don't have to hold on like I would if she where on a yoga ball.  This help to do multi- task activities.  

12 Of Our Best Gross Motor Activities

For all children gross motor activities are important but even more so for children with Down syndrome.  Children with Down syndrome are usually born with very low muscle tone which means they have to work extra hard to work up those muscles.

I try to daily do some gross motor activity with Adeline.  Here are a few of our favorites.

Stepping Up

Walking The Plank

DIY Therapy Equipment

Our Favorite Gross Motor Toys

Three Ways To Sort Colors

Noodle Fun

Crib Mattress and Gross Motor

Crash

Brown Bags and Shapes

Scooting Along

Fun Gross Motor

Beach Balls and Tablecloths

Gross motor activities can be fun and beneficial for your child.  What are some of your favorite?


Linking this post to 1+1+1=1 and Montessori Monday

Stepping Up

Adeline struggles with gross motor activities, especially stairs and stepping up.  She crawls up and down the stairs.  We have been working on taking that step "up" and "down" but this does make her a bit nervous.  I found a few things around that house to make a smaller, shorter step to practice.   We are using an old telephone book, plastic box, and some mats piled up.

We are also working on getting Adeline to move her body to the side.  It is simple to do things straight in front of you but performing an activity to the side is a new challenge.  This puzzle us very simple for Adeline when it is in front of her, but not near as easy when standing on a step and having to turn her body to the side.  

     Gross motor practice at home can be fun.  Mix it up a little and turn it into play.