Suggestions for gentle activities to help toddlers develop gross and fine motor skills, such as crawling through obstacles, dropping balls, ring toss, or imitating animal movements.
6 Fun & Healthy Movement Games at Home for 0–3 Year Olds
Helping your child build physical, emotional, and language skills from the earliest years.
Why encourage early movement?
In the first 3 years of life, movement not only strengthens the body but also:
✔ Stimulates brain development
✔ Supports language and social interaction skills
✔ Enhances hand–eye–body coordination
✔ Helps children eat better, sleep deeper, and feel happier
6 Simple, Easy-to-Do Games at Home:
1. 🐾 Crawl Through a Soft Tunnel
Use pillows and rolled-up blankets to create a “tunnel” for your child to crawl through.
👉 Stimulates shoulder and leg muscles, spatial awareness.
2. 🎯 Throwing Balls into a Basket
Let your child practice throwing soft balls into a bin, basket, or plastic container.
👉 Develops fine motor skills, distance estimation, and hand-eye coordination.
3. 📦 Climbing Boxes and Pillows
Allow your child to climb onto sturdy cardboard boxes or safely stacked cushions.
👉 Builds leg strength and balance.
4. 🎈 Kicking Balloons
Release balloons and let your child kick or gently bat them with their hands.
👉 Promotes coordination and quick reflexes.
5. 🧸 Animal Imitation
“Walk like a bear,” “hop like a bunny,” “flap like a bird”…
👉 Enhances gross motor skills and language development.
6. 🔔 Sensory Play: Squeeze – Grasp – Tap
Use playdough, sensory bags, or bottles filled with rattling beads.
👉 Activates fine motor skills, improves hand strength control, boosts sensory awareness.
Tips for Parents:
- Play on mats or soft flooring; avoid sharp objects nearbyKeep each game 10–15 minutes per session, multiple times a day
- Encourage your child to try again if they don’t succeed the first time
- Name your child’s actions or emotions during play to support language development
