Infant Gross Motor Activities

There are two main types of motor or movement skills: fine motor and gross motor. Fine motor skills involve small actions dealing mostly with the hands and fingers, such as pincer grasping; gross motor skills involve larger actions dealing with the arms, legs and torso, such as running and jumping. Although most major gross motor skills occur only in toddlerhood--or occasionally in older infanthood--there are activities you can use to help your baby gain the gross motor skills she'll need as she grows up.

  1. Baby Exercise

    • Even the youngest infant can exercise with a bit of help from an adult. Lie the infant on a flat surface, such as a play mat or your lap, and put on some fun kid-oriented music. You might want to open your infant's arms as wide as they go, saying "open!" and then cross them across her chest, saying "close!" You can also raise your infant's hands above her head ("up!") and pull then down near her hips ("down!"), or curl your infant's legs up to her chest and then stretch them straight again. Do each of these exercises again and again to help your infant get used to moving her body in different ways.

    Play With Bubbles

    • Surprisingly, one of the best gross motor activities you can try with your infant involves nothing more than blowing bubbles around his head. Doing so will encourage your infant to flail his arms around in an attempt to reach the bubbles. Although your infant won't be able to catch any yet, this activity will give him the practice he'll need in reaching for objects and following their paths with his hands. Although your infant could be lying down for this activity, you might find it easier for him to be in a bouncy seat or in someone else's lap. Make sure the baby can't get to the bubble solution.

    Standing and Bouncing

    • Even before your baby can stand on her own, you can help her get used to an upright position. Set your infant's feet on your knees and hold her under her armpits, slowly relaxing your grip so she can practice holding herself up with her legs. When your infant gets better at this, you can hold her hands instead, just to help her balance. Babies also love bouncing on your knees as you sing fun songs to them, such as "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush." This can help them develop a better sense of balance, which will eventually lead to walking and jumping.

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