Here is a list of some preschool holiday gross motor activities to get children moving. There isn’t as much outside time in the winter months, but gross motor activities are important for young children. Incorporate these into your holiday parties or holiday themes.
- Parachute Jingle Bells: Get a bedsheet and place it flat on the ground. Put several jingle bells on the sheet and have children gather round and lift the sheet. Have them shake the sheet gently (like a parachute activity) to make it jingle bell. Do this while singing “Jingle Bells”.
- Present Toss: Wrap empty cardboard boxes with wrapping paper and ribbon. Like a balloon toss, line up two rows of children facing each other. Take turns tossing the wrapped presents between teammates. The opposite player much catch the present to remain in the game.
- Avoid the Bows: Place Christmas bows throughout the room on the floor. Play holiday music and have children move around the room without stepping on the bows.
- Candy Cane Hunt: Hide candy canes all around the room. Give each child a bag. Play a holiday song while children walk around the room collecting candy canes. When the song is over, have the children count how many candy canes they found.
- Wax Paper Ice Skating: Give the kids to pieces of wax paper. Put a foot on each one and glide around the room like they are ice skating.
- Snowball Bounce: Have children create 2 Snowman Paddles (paper plates with a snowman face and craft stick handles glued on). Get some balloons and toss them in the air. The children will use their Snowman Paddles to keep the balloons off the ground. (Source: Dixie Delights)
- Penguin Waddle Relay: Divide children into 2 teams. Have them race from start to finish while holding a ball between their knees, waddling like penguins!
- Snowball Toss: Create a Snowman out of a cardboard tri-fold project board. Cut out holes in the Snowman and have children toss white plastic balls, bean bags, orlarge pom poms into the holes. (Source: Leafy Treetops)
- Reindeer Toss: Get a large box and draw or add a reindeer face to the front. Put tree branches through the top for antlers. Use rings from another game or cut centers out of paper plates and have children toss the rings onto the antlers.
- Hanukkah Yoga: Dreidel symbols will represent each yoga pose. Print out a picture of each symbol and tape to the wall. One child pins the dreidel and the other kids do the pose. (Source and more details: Bee Yoga Fusion)
We also think these are cute: Download these Christmas action cards and get your kids moving! (Oopsy Daisy)