Indoor Gross Motor Activities

These fun indoor games are perfect for developing kids’ gross motor skills! Simple to set up and great for getting out extra energy.  Do you have a gross motor, sensory seeker?  Do you have a VERY active child?  I do, so I created these super easy indoor gross motor activities to enjoy anytime! For different variations also check out our line jumping and tennis ball games too!

 These gross motor activities are extremely useful for children with sensory seeking needs!

All children will have fun with these gross motor sensory games. Grab a roll of painters tape, a heavy ball or object to push, and some plastic eggs. Move aside the furniture if you can to make a large space or just create one line!

What do I mean by Proprioception Input & Vestibular Sensory Play?

What is proprioception input? It is input from muscles, joints and other tissues that help to create body awareness. Jumping, Pushing, Pulling, Catching, Rolling and Bouncing to name a few are all common ways to do this! What is vestibular sensory input? It is all about movement! Some movements in particular like swinging, rocking, are hanging upside down are good examples!

6 Gross Motor Activities!

Create as many lines as your space allows using different angles for each one!

1. Walking the lines heel to toe and however else is fun!

2. Jump the lines different ways and twist the body to move around the lines!

3. Roll the weighted medicine ball over the lines! Our you can push a weighted object such as a small container filled with soup cans. You may want to put a dishtowel underneath, so it slides easier

4. Walking the lines carrying the weighted medicine ball! (no picture)

5. Sitting on the floor, pushing and rolling the weighted medicine ball back and forth!

My son did enjoy having the medicine ball bump into him! We used this as an opportunity to count while we rolled too. Together we counted up to 150. Rolling the weighted ball is always appealing to him. He always enjoys counting or doing the alphabet along with it! His sensory needs are being met so he can focus on the task!

6. Race to collect the Easter eggs and then put them back!

The next day he wanted to use the lines again.  I took out a bag of plastic Easter eggs. I set one at each end or switch in the line for a total of 30 on the floor. First I had him clear one line as fast as he could and drop each egg in the bucket. Then he had to put them all back as fast as he could. Lots of quick turns! He did one line at a time. Once all the eggs were replaced, I had him do all the eggs at once! He finished by lining them up and counting them!

I hope you enjoyed our simple indoor gross motor activities! We sure did!  I am confident that these gross motor sensory games gave my son a good amount of proprioception and vestibular input. Plus they are great energy busters!

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More great sensory processing play ideas to enjoy {click photos}