Motor skills are actions that control how muscles move the body. Gross motor skills are those that control the large muscles of the body which are used to walk, run, crawl, sit, jump, and other large muscle activities. Preschool teachers and daycare providers can enhance gross motor skill development through effective lesson plans that include gross motor activities.
Some important physical gross motor concepts and skills that young children should learn to master are balance, spatial orientation. Through learning spatial orientation, children become aware of the position of his or her body in space as well as in relation to other people and objects. Young children also learn laterality, which means that the child is aware of the left and right sides of the body. In addition, in spatial learning children learn coordination of major muscles.
Children learn gross motor skills through practice and by participating in play which involves hopping, jumping, and climbing. In addition, games which involve tossing, catching and kicking objects are great examples of activities that promote the development of gross motor skills.
“Water Balloon Toss” is an activity which allows children to practice projectile management. This lesson plan includes preparation instructions, procedures, and a materials list for this activity. Also includes are the age appropriate learning objectives and a sampling of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning.
Water Balloon Toss Materials List
- Balloons of various colors
- Water
- Chalk
Activity Preparation
Purchase water balloons in various colors. Fill them with varying amounts of water making some heavier and some lighter. Put the water balloons in a large bucket. Using chalk, draw circular targets on the sidewalk. Dress children bathing suits or in clothing that parents won’t mind getting damp.
Procedures for Water Balloon Toss Activity
Invite the children over to water balloon toss area. Explain to them that you are going to toss water balloons toward a target. Model to the children how to toss balloons into the center of the target. Demonstrate how to toss (not throw) the water balloon to another child. Let the children take turns tossing balloons into the target or tossing balloons to each other.
Gross Motor Learning Objectives
Objective 1: To provide the opportunity for projectile management through tossing the water balloons toward the target.
- Verbal Cue A: Let’s toss water balloons.
- Verbal Cue B: Can you toss the water balloon inside the circle?
Objective 2: To develop spatial relationships (body and space perception) using the prepositions inside, outside, forward, and straight ahead in verbal cues.
- Verbal Cue A: Toss the water balloon straight ahead and inside circle?
- Verbal Cue B: Can you toss the water balloon forward?
Objective 3: To provide the opportunity for projectile management by tossing water balloons to another child.
- Verbal Cue A: Can you toss the water balloon to Seth?
- Verbal Cue B: Let’s toss the water balloon toward Jason so that he can catch it.
With this simple and fun activity, preschoolers will enhance their gross motor skills and develop a greater sense of spatial relationships. Please keep in mind that this is not a competitive activity, so do not keep score or enforce rules that promote competition. Explore more preschool lesson plans online
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