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30 Moves for Excess Energy!

by Jamie on April 29, 2011 · 27 comments

in Activities, By Skill, Energetic Activities, Play Collections, Preschool Activities

30 Gross Motor Activities for Excess Energy

Henry has always been a child with lots and lots of energy.
He took his first steps at 8.5 months.
He always runs instead of walks.
He spins instead of stands.
He climbs.
Coloring bores him.
Crafts spend too much time sitting.

Henry simply likes to move.

I am learning to deal with embrace the energy instead of trying to hinder it.

Here are 4 ways to move that we’ve done to help with the endless amount of energy:

Free Play: Rolling Eggs and Ball Painting  Free Play with Balloons!
Run down a hill on an Easter Egg Hunt  Build a road with Bubble Wrap and hear the pops!

There’s even more Energetic Activities that we’ve done — so browse around!

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Be sure to check out yesterday’s It’s Playtime posts for lots of ways to play.Science@Home is featured with lots of Body Games!
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Here are 26 more ways to help out with that excess energy:

Moving Smart
Moving Smart
The Imagination Tree
Sharin’ with Sharron
Sharin’ with Sharron
Mop with your Socks
Quirky Momma
Imagination Soup
Toddler Approved
The Adventures of Bear
Playfully Learning
Let the Children Play
Creativity My Passion
Come Together Kids
Maya Made
Go Explore Nature
I Can Teach My child!
Steady Mom
Can you Come Outside to Play?
Inspiration Sounds
Creativity Abounds
Really, Are You Serious?
Squiggle Mum
Exercise Cube
Little Family Fun

How do your kids burn off all their energy?

 More collections of play ideas!

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24 comments… read them below or add one

Alicia Stucky April 29, 2011 at 12:32 pm

Oh man! In the winter time, this was a big issue with us. I had my daughter in the very beginning of winter this year and since I'd quit my job to be home with my kids, my son was simultaniously pulled out of daycare… I didn't see this obstacle coming, but it turned out that Matthew was ripped away from his friends and practically trapped indoors all winter while Mommy was at the beck and call of a very, very demanding, difficult newborn. I felt like I was suffocating him — so we had to get very, very creative with indoor activities too. I wish I'd had a list like this back then! :-)

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Art For Little Hands April 29, 2011 at 12:44 pm

This is a great post. I will be coming back to it over and over again. Thank you.

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Debi April 29, 2011 at 4:05 pm

Henry sounds just like my 3 year old – he was kicking around even before he was born! This is a great list – thanks so much for including my post on running down a hill. That one was his idea, BTW!

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The girl who painted trees April 29, 2011 at 4:14 pm

What a wonderful list of ideas! Thanks for featuring us:)

Julie
http://theadventuresofbear.blogspot.com

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Messy Kids April 29, 2011 at 9:33 pm

I love it! It came out great! Fantastic list!

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Melissa Taylor April 30, 2011 at 1:34 am

thanks for featuring Imagination Soup! I totally spaced grabbing your button – will do now.

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Deborah April 30, 2011 at 1:49 am

I am worn out just reading all of these energetic ideas!

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Cheryl McCarthy April 30, 2011 at 1:12 pm

Awesome list! Thanks!

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Melissa @ The Chocolate Muffin Tree April 30, 2011 at 7:52 pm

Love this! My C loves to help me clean and garden which gets a lot of energy out!

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Anna @ The Imagination Tree April 30, 2011 at 11:17 pm

What a great list! Thanks for including me (and your new blog layout is great!)

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Danielle May 1, 2011 at 1:50 pm

Thanks for including me! We love playing outside!

http://canyoucomeoutsidetoplay.blogspot.com

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Kate @ An Amazing Child May 1, 2011 at 3:32 pm

My little man is exactly the same. Lots and lots of energy. He has gross motor delays and so I am always on the look out for physical activities which will cater to his high energy levels but won't leave him feel frustrated because of his difficulties. I know he will LOVE the bubble wrap road.

Thanks for the list and I would love to hear any suggestions you might have for my little 2yr old

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Esther J Pragasam May 2, 2011 at 2:03 pm

This is a great post with amazing ideas to keep moving.. Thank you for featuring us. I will be coming back to it over and over again to engage my daughter during summer vacation. Thanks for sharing!

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cathy @ NurtureStore May 3, 2011 at 5:18 pm

Wow – great list! We love a kitchen disco :)

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kristin May 3, 2011 at 8:31 pm

thanks for the shout out here!! and bigger thanks for sending lots of inspiration my way…at my preschool, i'm always looking for inventive ways to geet my kids moving!! xx

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Bona Fide Mama May 3, 2011 at 10:21 pm

Great post! I needed some ideas like this because my son simply doesn't want to move a lot since his bone marrow transplant. I will use your ideas to help spark some desire for movement in him!

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Kim @ The Edcuators' Spin On It January 18, 2012 at 2:43 pm

I love this list for Rainy Day ideas too. Moving is all part of childhood, it's our job to find productive ways for them to do it!

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Anonymous January 29, 2012 at 1:33 am

This is great – my 3 yo boy is the one who never stops running, so always looking for active play. My question is about the winding down. Seems the more we wind up, the bigger the challenge to wind down?

Another tip is to use a pilates ball to bounce on when sitting instead of a regular chair…Haven't tried this yet.

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The Mommies Made Me Do It February 9, 2012 at 2:49 am

Perfect!!! My kiddo is the ultimate gross-motor kid!! Pinning and Sharing!

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Elizabeth February 25, 2012 at 8:01 pm

We roll down hills, go for walks (he runs to the next stop sign and I walk, when he gets there he either runs back or sits down), we play find the m&m indoors, lots of balloon games (don't let it touch the ground, find something to be a perfect weight so the helium balloon doesn't float out of reach) Build HUGE cardboard forts to make a maze of structures to run and hide in. Sockball fights. It goes on and on. Then mom collapses in a heap.

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Lindsay March 25, 2012 at 11:59 am

I have four kids, so they can entertain each other sometimes. Yesterday they were stir crazy and it was one of the first warm days of the year, so I pulled out all the spray bottles I could find (Why do I have so many? I don’t know..) and filled a mop bucket with water for them to use for refills, and sent them outside to have a water fight. They went right to sleep last night.

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Carri March 25, 2012 at 5:02 pm

This is PERFECT! Like your little guy, Blake started walking at 8 months. By 9 months, he was running. And I mean RUNNING. He’s naturally athletic (which is funny because neither of us are into sports) and loves playing outside. This is awesome!

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Lisa Nolan April 1, 2012 at 5:42 pm

Great post! I’m adding it to my top ten Get Kids Moving blog post this week! Do I have your permission to use a photo from your blog post? Thanks for letting me know by Wednesday April 4th!

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Jamie April 1, 2012 at 6:07 pm

Lisa – thanks! I can only give you permission to use one of my own photos – and those would by the top four photos in the post. Thanks!!!

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