Gross Motor Activities — Indoor and Outdoor Ideas That Burn Energy
Gross motor activities for toddlers and preschoolers — indoor obstacle courses, outdoor games and printable movement cards. Ages 2 to 8.
Gross motor is the big-muscle half of movement — jumping, climbing, running, balancing. It's what a kid does at the park without being told, and it's also what they don't get enough of on a rainy Tuesday indoors. Most of the 'my kid is bouncing off the walls' complaints are really 'my kid hasn't moved their big muscles for two hours' complaints.
This page has indoor and outdoor gross motor activities. For indoor we've pulled together simple obstacle course ideas (sofa cushions, masking tape on the floor, a hoop), plus the JiggyJoy movement-based games that genuinely get kids up and active. For outdoor, it's the classic list — running games, ball games, balance challenges — plus our printable scavenger hunts that add structure without killing the energy.
Aim for at least an hour of gross motor a day. That's the NHS recommendation for under-5s, and it's roughly what every experienced preschool teacher knows keeps a class functional.
Games for gross motor activities
Printable Worksheets
Colouring Pages to Print
Related resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as gross motor activity?+
Running, jumping, climbing, balancing, throwing, catching, kicking, dancing. Anything that uses the large muscles of arms, legs and core.
How much gross motor should a 4 year old do?+
At least 3 hours of movement a day for under-5s, with at least 1 hour of that being energetic activity. Most preschools meet this naturally; home-based kids need deliberate scheduling.
What's a simple indoor gross motor activity?+
Masking tape obstacle course on the living room floor, pillow jumping, dance party, or simon-says. All free, all fast to set up.
Does gross motor affect learning?+
Yes. Kids who meet movement guidelines score better on attention, memory and early academic measures. The body-brain link is strongest in the preschool years.