5 Indoor Gross Motor Activities to Keep Your Kids Active
Who’s excited for spring? This last month of winter is hard, especially as we maybe get some warmer days but are not quite there yet. Winter has it’s moments but it can be a hard time for our kids when they can’t go outside as often to get that energy out. At GASLC our physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists love to collaborate. Today we welcome our new physical therapist, Ms. Megan to the blog to share some indoor activities you can easily do with your kiddos. Read on for a list of indoor gross motor activities to help your kids burn some energy and stay engaged inside for this last stubborn month of winter (and how to support language development at the same time!)
Gross Motor Benefit: This is a fantastic way for kiddos to learning how to move their bodies on squishier/more challenging surfaces. Skills include: total body strengthening, balance, upper body/lower body coordination, vestibular input, and learning how your body moves in space in a different environment.
How to Model Language: With your littles, describe their actions as they play. It can be as simple as describing what they are doing. “You’re climbing!” or “Big jump!” Model core vocabulary like “up” and “down” as they explore.
Gross Motor Benefit: This is a huge functional skill! Great for lower body strengthening, balance, improving spatial awareness, safety skills, and improving weight shifting from one foot to another.
How to model language: Model familiar phrases as they get ready to climb like “ready, set go!” After you do this several times, start leaving off the ending and see if they will fill in themselves, or look to you to finish the phrase (e.g., “ready set…”). Model core vocabulary, “go, up, down, help” and you can also model counting as they climb steps.
Gross Motor Benefit: This is a great opportunity to work on increasing the speed of movement, and can incorporate squatting, crawling, and spatial awareness. Also great for isometric strengthening when having to hold unusual positions to not get caught!
How to model language: Hide and seek is great for modeling simple questions for when your child is ‘seeking.’ Model asking simple questions like “where are you?” This is also a great way to model spatial concepts! When you get to the finding part, model spatial concepts for where that person was hiding. For example, “you were under the table!” or “you were “behind the chair!”
Gross Motor Benefit: This is a great game that works on motor planning, reaction time, and balance. You can make it more challenging by adding a "yellow" light where you can go slowly or even backwards!
How to model language: This is the most natural way to model core words “stop” and “go” when you give directions in this game! When you label "red light," pair with core word "stop!" along with a gesture. Pairing actions with gestures will give your child more opportunities to imitate you.
Gross motor benefits: There are SO many great benefits to Yoga!!! Some highlights are: improved strength, proprioception, deep breathing, relaxation, balance, motor planning, and fluidity of movement.
How to model language: Yoga is a great way to keep your kids active while giving them a break from their more active physical activity. Model actions or modifiers as you imitate them with your child! Some more familiar concepts may include: “jump, reach, stretch, up, down, over,” etc. This is also a great way to work on following simple one-step directions.
Looking for more indoor activities to target gross or fine motor skills? You could also…
Have your child help you cook a meal / make a snack
Paint or do a craft
Play board or card games
Complete a YouTube exercise class
Make a fun obstacle course out of things around your house
Thank you Ms. Megan for all of these great suggestions! We hope this helps you finish winter strong. Have questions about whether your child would benefit from a speech, physical, occupational, or feeding therapy evaluation? Contact us here!
