# Gross motor and movement Canonical URL: https://www.kigomo.com/decks/gross-motor Last updated: 2026-10-12T19:22:47.197Z Big\-body play that builds strength, balance and the confidence to move in new ways\. Category: Montessori ## Cards in this deck ### [Give your baby floor time](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/give-your-baby-floor-time) Spread a firm blanket on the floor and lay your baby on their back with nothing strapped around them\. Sit nearby and let them kick, stretch, and turn their head wherever they want\. - Age range: Up to 2 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Montessori - Type: Activity - Benefit: Rolling and crawling - Materials: Firm blanket or mat - Safety note: Use a firm, flat surface, keep pillows and loose blankets away, and stay in the room\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/give-your-baby-floor-time/content.md) ### [Prop a book for tummy time](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/prop-a-book-for-tummy-time) Lay your baby on their tummy on a firm blanket and stand an open black\-and\-white board book upright in front of them\. Lie down facing them and talk about the page while they work at lifting their head\. - Age range: Under 6 months - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Books - Type: Activity - Benefit: Head and neck strength - Materials: Black\-and\-white board book; Firm blanket - Safety note: Only do tummy time while your baby is awake, and stay beside them the whole time\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/prop-a-book-for-tummy-time/content.md) ### [Cruise along the sofa](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/cruise-along-the-sofa) Space a few favorite toys along the sofa seat so your baby can pull up and side\-step from one to the next\. Stay beside them and cheer every wobbly shuffle along the cushions\. - Age range: 6 months–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Leg strength - Materials: A few favorite toys - Safety note: Clear hard toys from the floor, pad sharp corners, and stay within arm's reach for the sit\-downs\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/cruise-along-the-sofa/content.md) ### [Bounce gently on an exercise ball](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/bounce-gently-on-an-exercise-ball) Sit your toddler on a large exercise ball and hold them firmly at the hips\. Bounce slowly up and down to a song, then roll the ball a little forward and back\. Stop and wait for them to ask for more\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 5 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Balance - Materials: Large exercise ball - Safety note: Keep both hands on your toddler's hips the whole time, use small bounces, and play on a soft floor away from furniture\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/bounce-gently-on-an-exercise-ball/content.md) ### [Build a pillow path](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/build-a-pillow-path) Lay pillows in a short path and invite your child to step, crawl, or balance across them\. - Age range: 1–6 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Balance - Materials: Pillows; Blanket - Safety note: Keep the path low, clear, and away from sharp furniture\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/build-a-pillow-path/content.md) ### [Chase and stomp bubbles](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/chase-and-stomp-bubbles) Blow a stream of bubbles low to the ground and cheer your toddler on as they toddle, reach, and stomp to pop them\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Whole\-body coordination - Materials: Bubble solution; Bubble wand - Safety note: Keep bubble solution out of reach and away from eyes\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/chase-and-stomp-bubbles/content.md) ### [Chase balls down a slope](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/chase-balls-down-a-slope) Roll a few big, light balls down a gentle slope and cheer your toddler on as they toddle after them\. Collect them at the bottom and send them off again\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Running - Materials: Large light balls - Safety note: Pick a slope with soft ground that ends well away from roads, driveways, and water, and stay within arm's reach\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/chase-balls-down-a-slope/content.md) ### [Climb over cushions with a friend](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/climb-over-cushions-with-a-friend) Pile sofa cushions on the floor to make a soft hill\. Let children climb over, slide off and crawl back around, taking turns on the biggest cushion\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Climbing - Materials: Sofa cushions; Pillows - Safety note: Keep the cushions on a clear floor away from hard edges and stay close to both children\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/climb-over-cushions-with-a-friend/content.md) ### [Climb up and down a front step](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/climb-up-and-down-a-front-step) Sit beside a low step at the front door or on the patio and let your toddler practice stepping up and down, holding your hand or the rail\. Count each step as you go\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Leg strength - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Use a single low step on a flat, dry surface away from stairs and roads, and stay within arm's reach\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/climb-up-and-down-a-front-step/content.md) ### [Crawl through a cardboard tunnel](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/crawl-through-a-cardboard-tunnel) Open both ends of a large cardboard box or join two together to make a tunnel on the floor\. Crawl in alongside your toddler, then peek out the far end and say boo\. Let them lead the way back through\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Body awareness - Materials: Large cardboard box - Safety note: Check the box for staples and sharp edges, make sure it can hold your toddler's weight without collapsing, and stay close at the open end\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/crawl-through-a-cardboard-tunnel/content.md) ### [Fill a laundry basket ball pit](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/fill-a-laundry-basket-ball-pit) Fill a laundry basket or empty wading pool with soft balls\. Let your toddler sit, climb, toss and scoop the balls\. Hide a toy at the bottom and dig it out together\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: At home - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Body awareness - Materials: Laundry basket or wading pool; Soft balls - Safety note: Balls must be bigger than a toilet\-paper tube\. Keep water out of the pool and stay beside your toddler\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/fill-a-laundry-basket-ball-pit/content.md) ### [Kick through a pile of leaves](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/kick-through-a-pile-of-leaves) Rake a loose pile of dry leaves and walk through it together, kicking, scooping, and listening to the crunch\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Walking - Materials: Dry fallen leaves - Safety note: Check the pile first for sharp objects and animal waste, keep leaves out of mouths, and skip piles that are wet or near a road\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/kick-through-a-pile-of-leaves/content.md) ### [Push a basket full of books](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/push-a-basket-full-of-books) Weigh a laundry basket down with a few heavy books and set it on the floor in front of your toddler\. Let them push it across the room, adding or removing books until it slides just right\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Walking - Materials: Laundry basket; Heavy books - Safety note: Clear a straight path and skip this on slippery floors or anywhere near stairs\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/push-a-basket-full-of-books/content.md) ### [Push a toy vacuum or mower](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/push-a-toy-vacuum-or-mower) Hand your toddler a push toy such as a toy vacuum, a toy mower or a ball\-popper push toy, and walk a loop through the room with them\. Park it by the door and start again\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home or outdoors - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Walking - Materials: Toy vacuum, mower or push toy - Safety note: Use on flat, clear floor away from stairs, and stay close while your toddler is a new walker\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/push-a-toy-vacuum-or-mower/content.md) ### [Toddle up a gentle slope](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/toddle-up-a-gentle-slope) Find a low, grassy slope and walk up and down it with your toddler, holding a hand if they want one\. Try stepping slowly, then a little faster, and count the steps to the top\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Balance - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Pick a gentle slope with soft ground, away from roads, water, and steep drops, and stay within arm's reach\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/toddle-up-a-gentle-slope/content.md) ### [Follow a chalk line](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/follow-a-chalk-line) Draw a long, wiggly line of chalk along the sidewalk and walk it beside your toddler, one foot after the other\. Make the line straight, then curvy, then add a few dots to stop at\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Balance - Materials: Chunky sidewalk chalk - Safety note: Draw the line well away from the road and driveway, and stay within arm's reach\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/follow-a-chalk-line/content.md) ### [Pull a box train along the floor](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pull-a-box-train-along-the-floor) Tie a short length of ribbon to a small sturdy box and put a soft toy inside\. Show your toddler how to hold the ribbon and walk, with the box rolling behind\. Add a second box for a longer train\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Walking - Materials: Small sturdy box; Ribbon, under 30 cm \(12 in\); Soft toy - Safety note: Keep the ribbon shorter than 30 cm \(12 in\), never loop it around a neck or wrist, and supervise the whole time\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pull-a-box-train-along-the-floor/content.md) ### [Pull a wagon full of toys](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pull-a-wagon-full-of-toys) Load a small wagon or sturdy box on wheels with a few teddies or blocks\. Let your toddler pull it with you around the room or yard and stop to unload at each stop\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: At home or outdoors - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Walking - Materials: Small wagon or sturdy box on wheels; Soft toys or blocks - Safety note: Use flat ground away from roads\. Do not use the wagon to carry your toddler unless it is designed for it\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/pull-a-wagon-full-of-toys/content.md) ### [Rock on a rocking toy](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/rock-on-a-rocking-toy) Sit your toddler on a low rocking horse or rocker and show them how to hold the handles\. Rock them gently while you sing, then let them rock on their own and stop when the song stops\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Balance - Materials: Low rocking toy - Safety note: Use a low, stable rocker on a flat floor away from walls and furniture, and stay within arm's reach\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/rock-on-a-rocking-toy/content.md) ### [Run through a sprinkler](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/run-through-a-sprinkler) Set a gentle sprinkler on the lawn on a warm day and let your toddler run, dance, and stand in the spray\. Join in and take turns choosing when to start and stop\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Active play - Materials: Garden sprinkler - Safety note: Never leave a child alone near water\. Run the hose onto the grass first until the water is cool before your toddler goes near the spray\. Use a low, gentle spray on soft grass away from hard paving, and stay close\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/run-through-a-sprinkler/content.md) ### [Scoot on a ride\-on toy](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/scoot-on-a-ride-on-toy) Put a low ride\-on toy on a smooth, clear floor\. Show your toddler how to sit, hold the handle, and push with both feet, and walk next to them as they travel from one room to the next\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Balance - Materials: Low ride\-on toy - Safety note: Use it only indoors on flat floors, away from stairs, doors, and hard edges, stay close, and keep it off slopes\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/scoot-on-a-ride-on-toy/content.md) ### [Step from stone to stone](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/step-from-stone-to-stone) Find a path of large, flat stepping stones or pavers and walk them together, one step to a stone\. Say each step out loud and cheer when you reach the end\. - Age range: 1–3 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Balance - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Use flat, dry stones with no gaps or loose edges, hold a hand if needed, and stay within arm's reach\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/step-from-stone-to-stone/content.md) ### [Walk softly, then stomp](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/walk-softly-then-stomp) Walk across the room so softly your feet make no sound, whispering \\"quiet, quiet\\", then turn and stomp back as loudly as you can\. Hold your toddler's hands for the quiet part, listen together for the difference, and let them choose quiet or loud next\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Body awareness - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Clear the floor of toys and keep to a flat, non\-slip surface\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/walk-softly-then-stomp/content.md) ### [Walk to the end of the street together](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/walk-to-the-end-of-the-street-together) Hold a hand each, or use a stroller for the younger child, and walk to a landmark such as a mailbox or tree\. Point out what you pass and stop when the children want to look\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: Nearby - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Walking - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Hold hands near roads and keep a close eye on both children; one adult for every two children is a good guide\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/walk-to-the-end-of-the-street-together/content.md) ### [Play chase on the grass](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/play-chase-on-the-grass) Take your toddler and a friend to a soft, fenced patch of grass and start a slow, giggly chase\. Let each child run their own way — no rules, no turns, just happy movement\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: Outside - Category: Playdates - Type: Activity - Benefit: Running - Materials: No special materials listed. - Safety note: Pick a soft, fenced area well away from roads and stay close on unsteady legs\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/play-chase-on-the-grass/content.md) ### [Kick a big soft ball](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/kick-a-big-soft-ball) Put a large, light ball on the floor or grass\. Show your toddler how to walk up to it and give it a kick, then fetch it together and set it up again\. Try kicking it toward a laundry basket or a tree\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home or outdoors - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Kicking - Materials: Large soft ball - Safety note: Play away from roads, stairs and water, and stay within arm's reach\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/kick-a-big-soft-ball/content.md) ### [Throw a ball in the garden](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/throw-a-ball-in-the-garden) Stand a short way from your child in an open space and toss a big soft ball\. Let them throw it back, aim for a bucket, or chase it, and step back as they get the hang of it\. - Age range: 1–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Throwing and catching - Materials: Large soft ball; Bucket - Safety note: Play in an open space away from roads, use a soft ball, and stay close\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/throw-a-ball-in-the-garden/content.md) ### [Hop the cushion trail](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/hop-the-cushion-trail) Lay sofa cushions and pillows across the floor as stepping stones, then hold hands and hop or crawl from one to the next together\. - Age range: 2–4 years - Duration: 15 min - Location: At home - Category: Toys - Type: Activity - Benefit: Whole\-body coordination - Materials: Sofa cushions; Pillows - Safety note: Stay close and clear the area of hard edges before hopping\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/hop-the-cushion-trail/content.md) ### [Jump onto a cushion landing](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/jump-onto-a-cushion-landing) Pile two or three sofa cushions on a rug, away from furniture\. Hold your toddler's hand while they jump from the floor onto the cushions, or step off a low cushion, and count the jumps\. Step back so they can try alone\. - Age range: 2–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Jumping - Materials: Sofa cushions; Rug - Safety note: Place cushions on the floor away from furniture, tables and edges\. Stay within arm's reach and keep to a low height\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/jump-onto-a-cushion-landing/content.md) ### [Splash in rain puddles](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/splash-in-rain-puddles) After the rain, pull on boots and follow your child from puddle to puddle for some happy, splashy jumping\. - Age range: 2–5 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Active play - Materials: Rain boots; Waterproof coat; Dry change of clothes - Safety note: Steer clear of roadside puddles and traffic\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/splash-in-rain-puddles/content.md) ### [Freeze when the music stops](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/freeze-when-the-music-stops) Play a favorite song and dance together, then pause the music and freeze in a silly pose\. Count to three, then start again\. Take turns choosing who controls the music\. - Age range: 2–4 years - Duration: 10 min - Location: At home - Category: Home - Type: Activity - Benefit: Body awareness - Materials: Music player - Safety note: Clear the floor of toys and hard edges before you begin\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/freeze-when-the-music-stops/content.md) ### [Roll down a grassy hill](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/roll-down-a-grassy-hill) Find a gentle grassy slope and take turns rolling down it together, laughing all the way to the bottom\. - Age range: 3–6 years - Duration: 20 min - Location: Outside - Category: Outdoors - Type: Activity - Benefit: Body awareness - Materials: Comfortable clothes - Safety note: Check the slope for rocks or sticks and keep clear of roads at the bottom\. [Full card in Markdown](https://www.kigomo.com/cards/roll-down-a-grassy-hill/content.md)