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Toys That Develop Large Motor Skills

Large motor skills, commonly called gross motor skills, involve the large muscles of the body that enable us to walk, run and throw a ball. These skills begin to develop as early as 4 to 6 weeks of age with an infant's ability to hold up her head, and continue throughout childhood. There are many toys and activities that are designed to encourage the development of gross motor skills.

Push Toy/Walker
- A push toy or walker is often a favorite of infants who are just learning to walk. These toys enable them to develop balance and coordination, as well as master the control of the muscle in their arms and legs.
Play Mats and Crawl Tubes
- Play mats are available in a variety of sizes and shapes and encourage children to jump, roll and climb. Play mats and crawling tubes are excellent investments, because they can be used by children of all ages. Crawl tubes also encourage the development of large motor skills as children crawl through the tunnels. Both of these are great indoor activities for rainy days.
Balls
- Baseballs, footballs, soccer balls and all the other balls you can think of are important in the development of gross motor skills, and are appropriate for all ages. Tossing the ball utilizes large muscles and aids in muscle memory for participation in sports. Catching the ball also utilizes muscles and aids in the development of eye-hand coordination as well.
Pogo Stick
- Pogo sticks are simple toys that can keep children actively entertained for hours. Pogo sticks offer an excellent way for your child to build muscle memory as he jumps, which is important for gross motor development. A Pogo stick will also help improve his sense of balance.
Hopscotch
- Hopscotch games have come a long way since the original chalk on the side walk version. Hopscotch can now be found in fold up mats, foam pieces that join together like a puzzle or even new hip-hop versions that feature 360-degree turns. Even with these changes, hopscotch is still a childhood favorite. Hopscotch helps develop gross motor skills, eye-hand coordination, balance and even counting.
Other Classic Toys
- There are many other classic toys that have long been childhood favorites. These toys are excellent at building gross motor skills, as well as helping with balance, and include: jump-ropes, batons, balance boards, monster feet stilts, skip-bo, hula-hoops and Hoppity balls. Your children are sure to find their own favorite among these choices.

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