Gross Motor Development

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, physical activity reduces anxiety, depression and behavioral problems in young children. It helps children alleviate stress and children learn to manage feelings and gain a sense of self-control.

Activity: Shark-Infested Water

Skills learned:

➢ balancing, jumping and social skills.

Materials:

➢ Newspaper, paper plates, house bricks, or terra-cotta plant pots for stepping stones.

➢ Paths made from cardboard (optional).

Directions:

➢ Set out some stepping-stones. For younger children, use paper plates or some folded newspaper. For older children, use house bricks and/or upturned plant pots (keep an eye on the children).

➢ Stepping stones should be placed close enough for the child to be able to step on them, but far enough to be a challenge.

➢ The child’s task is simple. The Sea is infested with sharks, and the only way across is to step on the stepping-stones. One foot in the water and the sharks will bite.

➢ You can turn the stepping-stones into a real obstacle course by including low garden walls, narrow paths made from strips of cardboard, and barriers that the child can climb over or duck under.