An Occupational Therapy Guide for Families

Gross Motor Skills at Home

Simple activities using everyday household items — to build strength, balance, coordination, motor planning and confidence, at any age.

What are gross motor skills?

Gross motor skills use the large muscles of the body — the arms, legs, trunk and core. They help us move efficiently and take part in everyday life.

Walking, running & jumping Climbing & obstacles Balance & posture Throwing, catching & kicking Riding a bike or scooter Sport & playground play Getting dressed Sitting & attention for learning

From an Occupational Therapy perspective, gross motor development supports participation, independence, confidence and engagement in everyday life.

Why they're important

Good gross motor skills provide a foundation for:

10 activities using things around the home

No special equipment needed — just pillows, socks, balloons and a bit of imagination.

1

Pillow Obstacle Course

You need: Pillows, cushions, blankets and household furniture.

Create a simple pathway around the room. Try:

  • Step over a pillow
  • Crawl under a table
  • Walk around cushions
  • Jump between two cushions
  • Carry a soft toy to the finish line
BalanceMotor planningCoordinationStrengthBody awareness
OT tip: Start with 2–3 obstacles and gradually increase the challenge.
2

Animal Walks

Pretend to move like different animals:

  • Bear walk — hands and feet on the floor
  • Crab walk — sideways or backwards
  • Frog jumps
  • Snake crawl
  • Bunny hops
  • Duck walk
Core strengthUpper-body strengthCoordinationMotor planning
Make it fun: Call out an animal and have the child copy the movement.
3

Cushion Balance Path

Place cushions, pillows or folded blankets on the floor. Ask the person to:

  • Walk across the pathway
  • Take slow steps
  • Walk backwards
  • Carry a soft toy
  • Stop when you say "freeze"
BalancePostural controlBody awarenessAttention
Safety: Make sure cushions are stable and the area is clear of sharp or hard objects.
4

Balloon Keep-Up

You need: A balloon.

The goal is to keep the balloon off the floor. Try:

  • Tap with both hands
  • Tap using one hand
  • Use elbows
  • Use feet
  • Alternate left and right hands
Hand-eye coordinationVisual trackingBalanceTimingBilateral coordination
5

Indoor Bowling

You need: Empty plastic bottles and a soft ball.

Set up bottles like bowling pins and roll the ball towards them. Try changing:

  • Distance
  • Ball size
  • Number of bottles
  • Sitting vs standing position
CoordinationVisual-motor skillsBalanceGrading force
6

Sock Ball Toss

Roll socks into balls. Create a basket using a laundry basket, cardboard box, or clean empty container. Throw the sock balls into the target. Try:

  • Near target / far target
  • Overhand throw
  • Underhand throw
  • One-handed throw
ThrowingCoordinationVisual-motor integrationForce control
7

Laundry Basket Push & Pull

An empty laundry basket can become a great movement tool. Ask the child to:

  • Push the basket across the floor
  • Pull it using a towel or rope
  • Put soft toys inside and push them
  • Move from one room to another
Whole-body strengthCore stabilityProprioceptionCoordination
Important: Only use lightweight objects and supervise closely.
8

Follow-the-Leader

Take turns being the leader. The leader performs movements such as clap, jump, walk backwards, turn around, reach up, crawl or stomp — the other person copies.

Motor imitationMotor planningCoordinationAttentionSocial participation
9

Floor-to-Stand Challenge

Practise moving between positions: Standing → Squatting → Sitting → Kneeling → Standing. Turn it into a game by placing toys around the room to collect.

Leg strengthCore strengthBalanceTransitional movements
10

Target Kicking

Create a target using a cardboard box, cushion or laundry basket. Kick a soft ball towards it. Progress by:

  • Large target → smaller target
  • Increase distance
  • Alternate feet
BalanceLeg coordinationBilateral coordinationMotor planning

Activities by age

Gross motor development matters at every stage of life. Here's how to adapt it.

Toddlers & preschoolers

Focus on movement through play:

  • Crawling through a blanket tunnel
  • Climbing over cushions
  • Jumping on the spot
  • Dancing to music
  • Walking like animals
  • Throwing soft toys into a basket
  • Kicking a soft ball
  • Pushing a toy box
  • Playing "Simon Says"
  • Walking along a line made with masking tape
OT focus: Move → Explore → Plan → Try → Adjust → Succeed

School-aged children

They can manage more complex challenges:

  • Indoor obstacle courses
  • Balloon volleyball
  • Target throwing & kicking games
  • Simple yoga poses
  • Dance routines
  • Jumping challenges
  • Laundry basket pushing
  • Movement scavenger hunts
  • Pillow-based movement circuits
Challenge their motor planning: give a sequence like "Jump → Crawl → Throw → Balance → Run to the finish," then ask them to remember and complete it independently.

Teenagers

Gross motor development remains important through adolescence — focus on strength, coordination, fitness and balance:

  • Dance routines
  • Yoga
  • Body-weight exercises & squats
  • Wall or modified push-ups
  • Step-ups on a safe, stable step
  • Balloon or soft-ball games
  • Household obstacle challenges
  • Balance exercises & stretching
Encourage teens to choose activities that match their own interests and abilities.

Adults

Gross motor skills support independence and participation throughout adulthood:

  • Carrying light laundry
  • Sweeping and vacuuming
  • Gardening
  • Walking around the neighbourhood
  • Yoga or stretching
  • Dancing
  • Household movement circuits
  • Recreational ball games
OT perspective: functional activities can be just as valuable as structured exercise.

Older adults

Focus on maintaining strength, balance, mobility and confidence:

  • Seated marching
  • Sit-to-stand from a sturdy chair
  • Gentle reaching activities
  • Heel raises holding a stable surface
  • Walking short distances
  • Gentle ball passing
  • Folding laundry
  • Gardening activities
  • Simple dance movements & gentle stretching
Safety is the priority. Adapt activities to mobility, balance, medical needs and level of independence.

Make any activity easier or harder

A good activity can be graded to match the person's current ability.

To make it easier

  • Reduce the distance
  • Use larger targets
  • Slow the movement
  • Provide physical or verbal prompts
  • Reduce the number of steps
  • Use a stable surface
  • Allow more time

To make it harder

  • Increase distance
  • Reduce target size
  • Add more movement steps
  • Change direction
  • Add a memory component
  • Use one hand or one foot
  • Increase speed gradually
  • Add an additional task

Signs a person may benefit from extra support

  • Avoids physical activities
  • Tires quickly during movement
  • Has difficulty climbing or jumping
  • Frequently trips or bumps into objects
  • Struggles to catch or kick a ball
  • Has difficulty maintaining balance
  • Avoids playground equipment
  • Has difficulty copying movements
  • Finds multi-step movement activities challenging
  • Appears unsure about how to position their body
  • Has difficulty coordinating both sides of the body

Remember: every person develops at their own pace. Difficulty with one activity does not automatically mean there is a developmental problem.

Follow the person's interests

Gross motor practice doesn't have to feel like "exercise." If someone loves...

Cars → create a car obstacle course
Dinosaurs → move like dinosaurs
Animals → create an animal movement game
Sports → practise kicking and throwing
Music → dance and freeze games
Toys → create a movement treasure hunt

The best activity is often one the person enjoys and wants to repeat.

A simple 15-minute home movement routine

  1. Warm-up — 3 minutes

    • Marching
    • Arm circles
    • Dancing

  2. Strength — 3 minutes

    • Squats
    • Animal walks
    • Wall push-ups

  3. Coordination — 3 minutes

    • Balloon taps
    • Sock-ball throwing
    • Ball kicking

  4. Balance — 3 minutes

    • Walking along a line
    • Cushion pathway
    • Single-leg balance with support if appropriate

  5. Cool-down — 3 minutes

    • Gentle stretching
    • Slow breathing
    • Relaxing movement

Safety first

Before starting any activity:

  • Clear the area of hazards
  • Use age-appropriate equipment
  • Choose soft objects for indoor throwing games
  • Supervise children during movement activities
  • Avoid unstable furniture or surfaces
  • Stop if the person experiences pain, dizziness, unusual fatigue or distress
  • Adapt activities to the person's individual abilities

For people with significant physical, neurological or developmental needs, seek advice from an appropriate health professional before introducing challenging activities.

When can an Occupational Therapist help?

An Occupational Therapist can assess how gross motor difficulties affect daily activities, learning, play, self-care, community participation and independence.

An OT may help develop an individualised program targeting:

Strength & endurance Balance Postural control Motor planning Bilateral coordination Body awareness Visual-motor skills Movement confidence Functional participation

A reminder for parents

You don't need expensive equipment to support gross motor development.

🛏️ A pillow can become an obstacle. 🧺 A laundry basket can become a target. 🎈 A balloon can become a coordination game. 📦 A cardboard box can become a tunnel.

Everyday routines can become opportunities to move, explore and learn. Movement is more than exercise — it's a foundation for participation in everyday life.

This resource provides general educational information from an Occupational Therapy perspective and is not a substitute for an individual OT assessment or personalised clinical advice.