Sorting small objects is a great way to practice fine-motor skills. Fill a large jar with an assortment of beans, buttons, different shaped pasta, rubber bands, nuts, bolts, and paper clips. Give each child a handful of these objects to sort into the individual compartments of an egg carton. They can work individually or with a partner, or as a small group to encourage discussion about the objects.
Larger, plastic toys---such as toy cars, blocks, and stuffed animals---should be used with children who have a tendency to put things in their mouths.
Place a large piece of paper or a flat bedsheet on the floor. Have a child stand in the center and call out directions to other children. Ideas include asking students to march in place, hop three times, or tiptoe to the edge, front, back (or right and left) of the designated area.
You can also turn this into a game of Simon says or shadow play. Shadow play is when two preschoolers are paired up next to each other; one child is the shadow and must copy everything the other student does.
Make an obstacle course of balancing stations. Activities that improve a child's balance goes a long way in building their muscles and overall motor skills. Crates balance beams from a series of 4' X 4' x 8' boards on the ground. Lift the beams with small blocks of wood for more of a challenge.
The obstacle course could include challenging the child to walk one foot in front of the other and then side-step along the beam.
Increase a toddler's gross motor skills by making a set of coffee-can stilits. You will need two identical coffee cans and heavy string. Punch holes on either side of two empty cans. Thread a strong piece of string through both holes, make a tight knot in order to create a handle for the child to use. The string handle should come up to the child's waist.
Place two or more hula hoops on the ground close together for students to hop through. Getting both feet high enough off the ground to jump over the rim of a hula hoop is a challenging motor skill.