Gross Motor Skills Activities for Toddlers

Gross motor skills use large muscle groups. Running and jumping are both examples of gross motor skills as both use the large muscle groups of the legs. According to BabyCenter.com, gross motor skill activities for toddlers require the use of the large muscle groups of the arms, legs, torso and feet. These activities are a wonderful way for toddlers to practice using their newfound skills, so be sure to do a variety of these daily.

  1. Walk and Run

    • Walking and running use large muscle groups in the torso, legs and feet, and give toddlers a chance to develop their newfound abilities. Have your toddler walk or run on different surfaces to challenge her balance. Walking and running on sand, grass, cement and other uneven surfaces are great ways to challenge a toddler's gross motor skills.

    Climb

    • If you have a toddler, you know how much they love to climb...on the couch, chairs, tables and any other place they can get up to. Climbing is a great gross motor skill activity for a toddler because it uses every large muscle group.
      Allow your toddler to climb in a safe and secure area like a playground. Help him learn how to use his legs and feet to push himself up onto surfaces and to use his arms and hands to pull himself up onto the play gym.

    Jump, Hop and Dance

    • Jumping and hopping come later than walking and running, but toddlers of any age are able to dance around. Jumping, hopping and dancing can be done on soft surfaces like carpet, rugs or a bunch of pillows.
      Get your child in the mood to hop and jump by getting into the activity yourself. You can hop around like a frog or a bunny and bring out a stuffed animal of either to demonstrate. If your toddler is not ready for all this jumping around, then crank up some toddler tunes and bounce and dance around instead.

    Props and Toys

    • Props and toys like blocks and balls are great for any age group, but are especially great at developing gross motor skills in toddlers. Toddlers can use their legs and feet to kick balls, while they use their arms and hands to roll, throw and catch them.

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