Exercise

Gross Motor Activities for Preschool: A Skill-Based Planner

By Dave Joisil (Mr. J) · Certified Health and Physical Education teacher

Updated

Plan preschool movement by travel, balance, jumping and object-control goals with an original planning grid, access checks, and practical activity adjustments.

Gross motor activities use the body's larger muscles for actions such as traveling, balancing, jumping, and sending or receiving objects. A skill-based preschool plan starts with one movement objective and then selects an activity children can access. It is different from an indoor recess list: recess preserves play choices, while this planner organizes an adult-led learning opportunity.

Choose activities from what children currently explore, not a rule that everyone of one age must perform the same skill. This planner is not a developmental screening tool. Discuss concerns with families and qualified professionals rather than using a missed hop or catch to label a delay.

Four objectives, four activity choices

  • Travel and stop: walk along a clear route to a large floor marker; notice whether the child can slow down with room to stop.
  • Balance and reach: reach toward a nearby picture from a comfortable stable position; notice which support or position makes the task accessible.
  • Two-foot takeoff and landing: try one small jump in a personal space, followed by a pause; notice a controlled landing rather than distance.
  • Receive an object: roll a soft ball to open hands or try a gentle close send; notice readiness and a predictable path before increasing difficulty.

Do not put all four into a crowded circuit just to cover a list. Choose one or two, demonstrate the task, allow exploration, and leave time for free play elsewhere in the day.

Copy-and-print: Objective-to-activity planning grid

Copy one row per activity onto a sheet. The example shows how a change in access can preserve a meaningful objective without pretending the action is identical.

  • Objective: ______ Activity: ______ Equipment: ______.
  • Clear route and stopping space: ______ Adult supervision position: ______.
  • Cue or model: ______ Communication choice: ______.
  • Access option and actual movement: ______ Rest/stop option: ______.
  • What I will observe: ______ What the child chose or said: ______.
  • Next adjustment: ______ Family/support-team question if needed: ______.

Example row: receive an object | roll a soft ball across a reachable table | adult models the ready signal | learner stops the ball with hands or an agreed accessible action | next time adjust the send direction, not several variables at once.

Build a manageable teaching block

Begin by showing the space and stop signal. Demonstrate one action, then offer a brief attempt with adult feedback. Let children rest, repeat, or use the agreed access choice. Finish by asking what helped and noting one possible adjustment. These are lesson stages, not a prescribed exercise dose.

For a mixed-experience group, vary the task within a shared objective: a rolling receive for one child, a gentle catch for another. Keep each version meaningful and avoid grouping children publicly as strong or weak. If the room cannot support active travel safely, choose a stationary or tabletop objective instead.

Check the environment before adding challenge

Use a level nonslip surface and age-appropriate inspected equipment. Leave room for mobility devices, assistance, and stopping. Avoid unstable furniture, high obstacles, small loose pieces, or blindfolded travel. Follow individual restrictions and stop for pain or feeling unwell.

A movement song is optional. Jump Along is a jumping resource, not a demonstration of every gross motor skill. Preview it, pause as needed, and do not treat the video's length as required practice time.

Follow a specific objective

Use hopping stations, catching stations, or the locomotor skill map for narrower tasks. Keep indoor recess as a separate opportunity for play and choice.

Movement categories and skill cues draw on PDST fundamental movement skill cue posters. Access planning is also informed by Head Start: Visual Supports. The planning grid and activity examples are original suggestions rather than tested developmental interventions.