40 Movement Activities for Preschoolers that No One Knows

Hey there, parents and caregivers! Are you ready to get silly and have some fun with your preschoolers? Well, we’ve got just the thing for you!

Movement activities are essential and super exciting for your little ones. These activities help develop gross motor skills, cognitive abilities, and social-emotional skills. Plus, they promote healthy habits early on, so let’s get moving!

Why are these Movement Activities so Important for Preschoolers? 

Enhances gross motor skills:

These activities help develop those large muscle groups in the body that are essential for overall physical development. We’re talking about running, jumping, and climbing – all the good stuff your preschooler loves!

Improves cognitive abilities:

Physical activities are also great for cognitive development. They help improve memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. So, let’s get those gears turning!

Boosts social-emotional skills:

Group play activities help promote social skills like cooperation, communication, and empathy. Your little ones will learn to work together and make new friends.

Promotes healthy habits:

Engaging in physical activities from an early age encourages children to maintain healthy habits. So, let’s create a lifelong love for movement and exercise!

40 Simple Movement Activities for Preschoolers:

Simon Says

This classic game is perfect for preschoolers to develop their listening skills and follow directions.

They’ll love being the leader and getting creative with commands like “Simon Says, hop like a kangaroo!” or “Simon Says, touch your nose and spin around.”

Freeze Dance

Play some upbeat music and let your little ones dance around, then stop the music and have them freeze in silly poses like a statue. It’s a great way to develop their coordination and balance, and they’ll have a blast showing off their dance moves!

Animal Walks

Prepare to roar like a lion, crawl like a snake, or hop like a frog! This activity will have your preschooler giggling and improving their motor skills by imitating different animal movements.

Obstacle Course

Set up a fun obstacle course with hula hoops, cones, and tunnels. Your child will develop problem-solving skills while crawling through tunnels, jumping over cones, and maneuvering around obstacles.

Balloon Volleyball

Inflate a balloon and hit it back and forth with your preschooler. It’s a fun way to develop hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills, and they’ll love trying to keep the balloon up in the air.

Yoga

Strike a pose with your little one and try some simple yoga positions. It’s a great way to promote flexibility and relaxation, and your preschooler will love imitating animal poses like the downward dog or cobra.

Bowling

Set up plastic pins and let your child roll a ball to knock them down. They’ll have fun aiming and throwing the ball while developing their motor skills.

Dance Party

Crank up the tunes and get ready to dance! This activity encourages your child to move freely and expressively while improving their coordination and balance. Bonus points for getting silly and making up your dance moves!

Scavenger Hunt

Hide items around the house or yard and let your preschooler run and search for them. It’s a great way to develop their problem-solving skills, and they’ll have a blast racing around to find hidden treasures.

Balloon Tennis

Make paper plate paddles and hit a balloon back and forth with your child. It’s a fun and easy way to develop hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills, and they’ll love the challenge of keeping the balloon in the air. Let’s get active and have some fun!

Hula Hoop

Get your child to spin a hula hoop around their waist and turn up the fun while promoting their core strength and coordination. Bonus points for trying it yourself and showing off your skills!

Red Light, Green Light

Play this classic game to encourage your child’s listening skills and following directions. Pro tip: add silly sound effects like “ribbit” or “moo” to make it more hilarious.

Follow the Leader

Take turns being the leader, and have your child imitate your movements. Add in some funky dance moves or animal impressions to keep things interesting.

Musical Chairs

Set up chairs and play some tunes while your child walks around them. When the music stops, have them find a seat. Warning: this game may cause uncontrollable giggles!

Jumping Jacks

Please encourage your child to do jumping jacks to develop their coordination and strengthen their large muscle groups. Bonus points for making funny faces while doing them!

Hopscotch

Draw a hopscotch board on the ground and encourage your child to jump from square to square. Spice things up by adding silly challenges, like making a dance move before hopping to the next court.

Ring Toss

Set up plastic rings and have your child toss them onto pegs or bottles. Add fun challenges like throwing the ring with their non-dominant hand or standing on one foot while tossing.

Sensory Walk

Fill a shallow tub with various sensory items like sand, water, or rice and have your child walk through it barefoot to promote sensory development. Bonus points for adding in some bubbles or small toys to find.

Balancing Act

Please set up a balance beam or use a piece of tape on the ground and encourage your child to walk along it. Cheer them on as they improve their balance and coordination!

Parachute Play

Use a giant parachute and have your child run underneath it, or try to toss balls onto it. Make it even more fun by adding in some crazy dance moves or playing some music. Let the fun and laughter begin!

Stomp the Alphabet

Want to turn letter recognition into a game? Call out different letters and have your little one stomp on them. Not only will this game help your child learn the alphabet, but it’s also great for developing gross motor skills!

Bubble Pop

Who doesn’t love bubbles? Blow some bubbles and let your child pop them. It’s a simple yet effective way to develop hand-eye coordination and motor skills.

Limbo

Limbo is a classic game that’s perfect for promoting flexibility and balance. Grab a broomstick or rope, play some fun music, and let your child limbo their way to victory!

Tag

You can’t go wrong with a game of tag. It’s a great way to get your child moving while encouraging running and movement.

Paper Plate Skating

Turn your living room into an ice rink by placing paper plates under your child’s feet and having them slide on a smooth surface. This fun activity promotes coordination and balance.

Ball Pit

Want to create an indoor playground for your little one? Fill a small pool with plastic balls and let them jump and play to their heart’s content!

Bean Bag Toss

Please set a target and have your child toss bean bags at it. This game is perfect for developing hand-eye coordination and accuracy.

Crab Walk

Get your child moving like a crab by having them walk on their hands and feet. This fun activity promotes upper body strength and coordination.

Tug of War

Want to teach your child about teamwork? Play a game of tug of war together! It’s also a great way to promote strength and endurance.

Jump Rope

Jumping rope is a classic activity that always goes in style. Encourage your child to jump rope and develop coordination and cardiovascular health simultaneously.

Tunnel Adventure

Please set up a tunnel made of blankets or cardboard boxes and let your child crawl through it, discovering new pathways and promoting coordination skills.

Splish, Splash, Water Bash

Fill a small pool or tub with water and have your child dive in with water toys or play with cups to pour and scoop water, promoting sensory development and fun.

Puddle Jumper

Encourage your child to splash around in puddles after a rainstorm, making big waves and promoting gross motor skills while enjoying the fun of nature.

Superhero Training

Please have your child lie on their back with arms and legs extended, then lift them and pretend to fly like a superhero, promoting core strength and coordination while unleashing their inner superhero.

Red Rover, Red Rover

Play a game of Red Rover with your child, encouraging teamwork and coordination to break through the linked arms of their opponents.

Dino-mite Stomp

Pretend to be different dinosaurs and have your child stomp around like them, promoting gross motor skills and imaginative play, making them feel like they are in the land of the dinosaurs.

Wheelbarrow Workout

Please have your child walk on their hands while you hold their feet, promoting upper body strength and coordination while feeling like they are doing some incredible acrobatics.

Hokey Pokey Party

Sing and dance to the Hokey Pokey with your child, encouraging them to follow the movements and promoting coordination and following directions while also having a blast dancing.

Ribbon Rave

Use ribbons or scarves and encourage your child to dance with them, promoting imaginative play and gross motor skills while feeling like they are performing a magical dance.

Frisbee Frenzy

Toss a frisbee back and forth with your child, promoting hand-eye coordination and teamwork while also having a fun and playful time.

Encouraging your child to participate in movement activities early can benefit their overall development. By promoting gross motor skills, cognitive abilities, and social-emotional skills, these activities can set your child up for success both in and out of the classroom.

By incorporating these simple movement activities into your daily routine, you can help your child develop healthy habits and have fun at the same time.