Gross Motor Activities: Perfect for Autumn
Autumn is the perfect time of year for kids to develop their gross motor skills through play in a variety of environments. We’ve compiled a list of fall-themed activities that will help your child improve their strength, coordination, balance, and endurance!
Play “Simon Says” Fall Style:
Grab that rake and make a giant pile of leaves! Your child can practice listening and following directions all while getting their body moving. Suggest activities like jumping, stomping, squatting, rolling, and somersaulting in the leaves!
Go for a Wheelbarrow Walk:
Wheelbarrow walking, or walking on your hands in a plank position, is a great activity for building upper extremity and core strength. You can wheelbarrow walk across the room to a puzzle or even have a race outside!
Visit a Pumpkin Patch or Go Apple Picking
These activities are great for kids to practice walking on uneven terrain, using their visual-perceptual skills to read a map through a corn maze, and practice reaching, squatting, lunging, and other gross motor skills!
Go for a Hayride
Hayrides are great for developing sitting balance and core strength as the wagon traverses uneven terrain at variable speeds! You can also ride in a wagon or wheelbarrow at home if a hayride isn’t available. Ask your child to search their environment for different colors, sights, and sounds of fall!
Make an Indoor Spider Web Obstacle
You can make an indoor obstacle course with streamers or yarn for your child to climb and crawl through. Make it spooky by designing it in the shape of a spider web and ask your child to move slowly, quickly, or freeze in the middle of navigating the web!
