Gross MotorAll Ages60 Comments
Energetic activities for kids are important in gross motor skills development of any child, and a necessity for kids with high energy.
Check out more energetic activities that help to build these skills here! We are continually adding more to our collection.
From what I’ve read and heard from experts, kids should work on developing their gross motor skills before working on fine motor skills.
WHY? Because they need to build up the big muscles first and then the little muscles have a much easier time.
Doing energetic activities to work on gross motor skills also help out in another area: Burning off energy.
Every kid has excess energy, right?
Activities that burn off that high energy are something that I’m always looking for!
Henry has always been a child with lots and lots of energy.
The kind of kid who really benefits from energetic gross motor activities!
He took his first steps at 8.5 months. 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 high energy instead of trying to hinder it.
Here Are 4 Energetic Activities to Build Gross Motor Skills & Burn of High Energy:
- Rolling (or kicking) Eggs and Ball Painting
- Tape Jumping Game
- 32 Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids to Go On
- Walk through a maze of numbers
There’s even more Energetic Gross Motor Activities that we’ve done since — so keep on browsing here!
This Physical Activities for Kids post is another fantastic list of energetic activities to help high energy kids burn off steam.
[thrive_2step id=’62779′]Get the Gross Motor Go-To List Printable![/thrive_2step]
26 More Energetic Activities for Kids To Burn Off High Energy!
How do your kids burn off all their energy?
Share your ideas in the comments! We would love to hear what activities you have come up with.
For more inspiration: 40 more gross motor activities to get your kids moving, too!
Jessica says
Good afternoon! This is a very interesting article. Usually my daughter and I take workbooks for preschoolers from here https://wunderkiddy.com. But now I’ll try your ideas. Thanks for these ideas. I think my child will really like it.
KTC says
I love this list of activities for improvement of gross motor skills. Thanks for sharing!
Judy says
I just saw a bowl of milk? with food color and then a straw was put into the bowl which made the colors move? Can’t find it now. any idea where I was it?
Rachel says
Magic milk experiment! https://handsonaswegrow.com/color-changing-milk-mixing-colors/ Enjoy!
Jyotsna Kulkarni says
Creative ideas and really doing very good work of the activity planning.. great efforts..
simy says
Thanks
KAJAL SINGH says
i like your idea
Crystal says
Hi! I know this post is older and you may not see this, but I just wanted to say how much I love the way the links in this post are organized and that they have a picture that goes with them. It is very reader friendly!
Rhonda says
Hi, I love this list and have used many. Revisiting and tried to click on the Hop and Pop. It denied access requiring one to be invited to read the blog. I think I could figure it out (or a version of it), but could you explain what/how the activity is played? Thanks!
Jamie Reimer says
Rhonda — thanks so much! I am so bummed, I cannot find that post anywhere. Its basically squares of bubble wrap with letters (or sight words, numbers, etc – whatever you’re learning) — spread out on the floor and you call out a letter and the child finds it and hops on it to pop it. Does that make sense? I’m going to keep looking to see if I can find it still.
france says
Thanks for these..i have a son that’s as active like yours & also dislikes anything that require much time sitting, so on sunny days i let him play outside, running, biking or sometimes we bring him to the beach or we go to a sports complex & jog..indoor activities would be very much useful during rainy days
SquiggleMum says
Such a great list. Humbled to be included – thank you!
Lisa Nolan says
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!
Jamie says
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!!!
Carri says
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!
Lindsay says
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.
Elizabeth says
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.
The Mommies Made Me Do It says
Perfect!!! My kiddo is the ultimate gross-motor kid!! Pinning and Sharing!
Anonymous says
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.
Kim @ The Edcuators' Spin On It says
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!
Bona Fide Mama says
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!
kristin says
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
cathy @ NurtureStore says
Wow – great list! We love a kitchen disco :)
Esther J Pragasam says
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!
Kate @ An Amazing Child says
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
Danielle says
Thanks for including me! We love playing outside!
http://canyoucomeoutsidetoplay.blogspot.com
Anna @ The Imagination Tree says
What a great list! Thanks for including me (and your new blog layout is great!)
Melissa @ The Chocolate Muffin Tree says
Love this! My C loves to help me clean and garden which gets a lot of energy out!
Cheryl McCarthy says
Awesome list! Thanks!
Deborah says
I am worn out just reading all of these energetic ideas!
Melissa Taylor says
thanks for featuring Imagination Soup! I totally spaced grabbing your button – will do now.
Messy Kids says
I love it! It came out great! Fantastic list!
The girl who painted trees says
What a wonderful list of ideas! Thanks for featuring us:)
Julie
http://theadventuresofbear.blogspot.com
Debi says
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!
Art For Little Hands says
This is a great post. I will be coming back to it over and over again. Thank you.
Alicia Stucky says
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! :-)