Children ages 3 to 5 are able to kick, catch and throw balls with some accuracy. Work on basic ways to pass a ball to another person by focusing on a bounce pass, underhand throw, overhand throw and chest pass. Set the kids up with a soccer ball and practice kicking the ball a short distance into a goal. Work on aiming the ball to a given spot. Mastery is not expected at this age, but exposing these skills to kids while they are young can encourage better hand-eye coordination.
Set up obstacle courses for preschoolers to practice a variety of gross motor skills. Include obstacles to jump over and slide under. Between obstacles, have the kids waddle like a duck, walk backwards, hop on one foot, or lunge. Have relay races where the children work together as a team to complete the race. Vary the races by having the kids skip, gallop or pretend they are ice skating.
Preschool age children have almost mastered balancing on one foot for about 5 to 10 seconds. Build on balance and coordination skills by playing a game of hopscotch. Draw a board on the ground with numbers 1 to 10. Children can take turns jumping to a specific number while alternating jumping on one foot and then on two feet. Teach the kids how to walk a “tightrope” by putting down a long piece of masking tape down on the floor. Show them how to put one foot directly in front of the other and encourage them not to fall off. Introduce jump rope skills and how to use a hula hoop to support coordination growth. Keep in mind that a preschool age child probably will not master these activities immediately.
Rhythmic activities help children discover spatial awareness and unique ways their body can move. A simple activity is to identify a specific body part, such as the right arm, and shake it with the beat of a favorite children’s song. Turn on some music and encourage the kids to march to the beat or dance freestyle and then freeze like a tree when the music stops.