Physical milestones like running, jumping, and climbing are an important part of a toddler’s development, and they’re right up a toddler’s alley when it comes to fun! But why are they so critical? In short, they help toddlers build gross motor skills, which involve large muscle movements in the arms, legs, and core, as well as daily movements like walking, running, and throwing. These are healthy parts of a child’s physical growth. 

Gross motor skills don’t come naturally to every kid, though. Difficulty balancing or using stairs, delayed physical milestones, awkward or stiff movements, and trouble with or avoidance of physical tasks like kicking a ball or playing on playground toys can be signs that your child is struggling.

The good news? There are plenty of fun and easy ways to help toddlers develop their gross motor skills. In this article, we share five gross motor activities for toddlers and explain how they help build these key skills. Let’s jump right in and learn how gross motor activities for toddlers, like obstacle courses, animal walks, and bubble play, contribute to healthy growth and development. 

Obstacle Course Adventure

Obstacle courses are delightful for kids of all ages, but they’re especially great large motor activities for toddlers. Plus, they’re super versatile. You can set up an obstacle course indoors, outdoors, or partially inside and outside! 

All you need is a pile of household items and some creativity. Set up an obstacle course with pillows to jump over (or onto), tunnels to crawl through, ropes to jump between, and low-height objectives to jump, walk, or climb over. You can even include toddler climbing toys or riding toys if you want to make it more challenging. 

An obstacle course is one of the best gross motor skills activities because it incorporates balance, coordination, and crawling, which build leg and core strength while helping kids burn energy and have fun. 

Animal Walk Races

What toddler doesn’t love animals, especially pretending to be one? Break out the animal sounds and throw an animal race to get their hearts pumping and smiles growing. Animal walks, or the more competitive animal walk races, engage children in imaginative play and work well in a group setting. Here are a few fun options:


• Bear crawl: Walk on all fours with hands and feet on the ground, and knees off the floor.

• Frog jumps: Crouch down with hands and feet on the floor, then leap forward like a frog, landing with bent knees.
• Crab walk: Sit with hands and feet planted on the ground, then pick up your hips and “walk” backward or sideways like a crab.

Each of these exercises helps build strength in your child’s arms, legs, and core while boosting stability and coordination. In fact, an Italian study showed that children who engaged in animal imitation activities improved their “aiming and catching, balance, and manual dexterity.” They also give kids a chance to build skills in motor planning, or the way they plan out their body movements. 

Bubble Chasing and Popping

To young kids, bubbles seem like magic. And in a way, they are, considering how they impact gross motor skill development. 

While toddlers may not quite grasp the ability to blow bubbles, the act of chasing and popping them is a great gross motor activity, giving kids a chance to run, jump, and reach. They’ll also build agility and coordination, as well as practice their hand-eye coordination. 

Plus, bubble play can be done nearly anywhere. Even the smallest yard or patch of grass can be an excellent place for a bubble chase. Bubbles are also inexpensive; even a simple concoction of dish soap and water makes great, poppable bubbles. Balloons can do the trick, too, so give those birthday party leftovers a second life as a gross motor skills activity. 

Dancing With Music

A dance party is one of the best gross motor activities for toddlers, whether they’re on their own or in a group. First of all, who doesn’t love watching a toddler show off their dance moves? More importantly, dancing lets toddlers engage in important gross motor movements like clapping, spinning, and stomping. 

Dancing also builds spatial awareness, balance, and rhythm skills, and the act of following a dance routine or making up their own helps build creativity and confidence (and gives them a chance to follow directions or practice teaching others). 

While most toddlers love to dance it out anytime, anywhere, you can make it even more fun by turning it into a game of “freeze.” When the music stops, everyone freezes in place until the music comes back and it’s time to dance again. Another fun idea is to play around with songs at different tempos, giving your little one a chance to switch between dancing quickly and slowly, or between big movements and small ones. 

Playground Visits 

Time at the playground is fun and an excellent gross motor activity. Playground equipment offers something for everyone, whether you’ve got a kid who wants to play it safe or engage in risky exploratory play. 

Play structures that allow climbing — like ladders, jungle gyms, or climbing walls — help build arm, leg, and core strength while enhancing balance and coordination. Swinging increases core and grip strength and, when kids learn how to pump their legs, builds leg strength, too. Slides enable climbing (to reach the top), balance, and body awareness. 

Of course, children who don’t want to play on the equipment can build gross motor skills simply by playing around it. Running, jumping, and tumbling are all great ways to develop gross motor skills.

Sidewalk Chalk

Outdoor play doesn't have to involve running and jumping. You may not think of art as a gross motor activity, but it can be when you add big, sweeping sidewalk chalk drawings into the mix! Help your toddler draw a hopscotch court and use it to practice jumping and landing. Hopscotch is also a great opportunity to practice jumping or standing on one foot. 

Use the chalk to draw a balance beam and have your toddler try to balance while walking across it. Or, you can get creative and draw any sort of shapes for your toddler to follow — spirals, zig-zags, or whatever you think up. 

Keep in mind that breaks are important, and you can use drawing with chalk as a calm activity to help your kiddo wind down after a big day of movement. Your toddler (and you!) will get a chance to relax while working on developing fine motor skills and letting their artistic creativity shine.

Soft Climbing and Jumping Play

Letting toddlers climb and jump freely and safely is another one of the top gross motor activities for toddlers. Jumping and climbing foster gross motor skills as well as help build toddlers’ confidence in their movements and encourage safe risk-taking. 

Ideal for inside play on a rainy day or fun in the sun, this type of play helps toddlers improve their leg strength and balance. You can make use of soft play structures, foam blocks, kid-friendly couches, or jumping toys. 

One excellent option is the Jungle Jumparoo Duo, which offers swingy, bouncy fun for all ages, plus all the safety features parents need for peace of mind. Got a smaller living space? Try the Jungle Jumparoo Mini. You'll get everything you love about the original Jumparoo in a smaller package, help your little one learn to jump and have a blast doing it. 

More Ideas for Developing Gross Motor Skills With Active Play

Movement is imperative for kids of all ages, both for gross motor development and its impact on learning. While we’ve shared some of our top large motor activities for toddlers, there are plenty of other options to try. Here are a few others to consider:

• Catching and throwing
• Simon Says
• Wheelbarrow walking
• Swimming
• Yoga
• Gymnastics
• Relay races
• Spinning

Helping toddlers build their gross motor skills doesn’t have to be hard. It’s as simple as dedicating some play time to joyful movement. Whether they’re doing their best crab crawl, racing through obstacles, or sprinting around a playground, every bit contributes to confidence, coordination, and control of their body. 

Most of these activities can be done anytime, anywhere, with no fancy equipment required. For even more fun, consider adding a Jungle Jumparoo to your list of gross motor activities. You’ll love watching your toddler grow stronger with every jump.