Outdoors Gross Motor Ideas
School is out for summer! And it’s time to throw the screens in the trash and kick the kids outside, enjoy the outdoors and get moving! We know that gross motor skills are important for muscle and strength development. We know they are crucial to building confidence and usually if it involves gross motor work, it is also a ton of fun. And EVERYBODY could use a little more fun! Am I right?
Sadly, getting outside and getting active doesn’t come naturally to all people , and so as parents we need to do two things. First, set the example. Go outside as often as you can. Make time to play and get some exercise. A game of tag can be killer cardio. Next, make it as fun as possible. I’ve got 14 Gross Motor Ideas to take Outside for you, and there are some super fun ideas here. Everybody loves an obstacle course, and who KNEW there were so many ways to play with a hula hoop?
Work those gross motor skills all summer long!
You cannot go wrong with this Outdoor Obstacle Course by Pre-K pages. This is all kinds of fun for all kinds of skills. This could also be something to crack out with your adult friends one fine day.
Balloon Tennis by Kids’ Craft Room! How fun is that? Super easy to prep and play, and easy on the budget as well. Be sure to collect the balloons when you’re done to dispose of them responsibly.
I love this Olympic Rings Ball Toss by I can Teach My Child! Challenging fun for all ages!
Hula Hoop Games by Learn Play Imagine provide lots of opportunities and variations!
Avoid the summer slide with Water Balloon Phonics by Mess for Less. A great fun way to throw in a little bit of learning fun.
These Squirt Gun Water Races by Design Dazzle are going to provide some skilled gross motor fun for hours and hours.
This Outdoor Bean Bag Toss by Mod Podge Rocks shows you how to make your own ring toss game!
Giant Jenga Gameby Love Bug Living – because who doesn’t love life sized games?
Giant Lawn Matching Game by Studio DIY – again with the giant fun, with some matching skills thrown in for good measure!
This Giant Pick Up Sticks by i Heart Naptime is brilliant really. And again, fun for all ages!
These Summer Relay Games by How Does She can be modified to suit your abilities and ages but are perfect for big crowds, and big fun!
Human Ring Toss by Kid Friendly Things to Do may sound like a bad idea, but check it out – it’s super smart and bound to be great fun!
Giant Outdoor Yahtzee by Make Life Lovely is another giant game you’re going to want to try! Excellent gross motor and math skills combined!
And this Giant Outdoor Chess Set by Nellie Bellie is absolutely perfect! You can adapt the level of gross motor activity just by changing your playing pieces. You might want to try weighted cartons, upcycled jugs, or even people!
Have an active summer!
