Finding a gross motor activity that you can plan for inside can be challenging as the days get shorter and the temperature drops. This simple gross motor activity can help keep your little ones engaged and busy!
I love using seasons and themes as a basis for learning in our home. September is one of my favorite months for all the different possibilities it has to offer.
This month our focus is all about apples in our home. I came up with a fun gross motor activity by using painters tape from our garage and apples from the fridge.
This activity is perfect for inside and has a quick and easy set up, which is always a win in my books!
To being with, I taped off a tree trunk using the painters tape in a spacious area of our house that would allow for a variety of movement.
I extended the tree by taping off branches in a variety of directions. On each end of the branches, I placed apples for my son to pick.
Before we started, I explained to him that he could use his basket to pick all the apples off the branches. To do this, we would need to come up with some fun different movements and actions together to do so.
I love giving children the independence in their learning and play. He was pretty excited to offer suggestions too!
He first decided that he wanted to jump on two feet to pick his apples.
When he reached his basket, I asked him to balance on each branch and to pick each apple and put it in his basket.
He loved the challenge of making sure he didn’t fall off the branches!
After he had picked all his apples, he then decided that he would like to try jumping on just one foot to his basket.
Of all the different actions we tried, this was his most challenging.
We also tried movements such as walking backwards to the branches and straddling the tape line on the trunk.
We tried walking sideways with one foot over the other as well as jumping back and forth from each branch ensuring that we stayed on the line of tape.
This movement was his favorite!
During the activity, I also took the opportunity to incorporate a few other learning activities.
These activities reinforced skills he has developed or is currently working on developing. For example, I had him count out loud the number of apples while he was picking.
I also utilized our fine motor skills and had him place the apples back on the tip of the branches when he finished. This was an enjoyable gross motor activity for him!
If you do not have apples on hand, you could use leaves that you collect on a nature walk. A great way to extend the fun and learning from another activity!
What is your favorite gross motor activity to do in the fall with your little ones?
Do you plan more thematic activities in your play as the season of holiday’s approach?
Gross Motor Apple Picking Activity on handsonaswegrow.com
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