Physical Development Games for Three-Year-Olds

Hopping

• Have all the three-year-olds practice hopping on one foot. Tell them you are going to play a game to see who can hop on one foot the longest. When you say, "Hop," they must start hopping on one foot. If a child loses her balance or her other foot or hands touch the ground at any time, she is out of the game. The last child hopping on one foot wins the game and a prize. This helps children develop better coordination and balance.

Running Relay

• Running keeps the children active, and relays help them build their social skills. Divide the children into teams and have them line up at a starting line. Place a cone 20 feet from the starting line. When you say, "Go," the first player in each team line must race to the cone and back to tag the next player in line. The next player repeats this process. The first team to finish the relay race wins the game.

Freeze Game

• The freeze game develops a child's coordination.Play music and have the children dance around the play area. Explain to the children that when the music stops, they must freeze. Allow the children to practice for about two minutes. After two minutes, tell the children the game starts. When the music goes off, the children must freeze. Any child caught moving when the music goes off is out of the game. The last player standing wins.

Memory and Colors

• This game will have children racing around the room. Place red, orange and yellow objects around the play area. Show the three-year-olds a banana, an orange and an apple. Hold each fruit up and say, "yellow banana," "red apple" and "orange orange." After practicing, place the fruit under a towel and remove one piece (without them seeing it). Remove the towel and have the children find an object in the room that matches the missing fruit's color.