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.
When developing curriculum, preschool teachers and daycare providers must include age-appropriate activities for young children that develop physical gross motor skills. Shuffle board with shapes and cars is an activity that will promote major muscle coordination and enhance rebound activities and spatial relationships.
Children learn gross motor skills through practice. Activities which involve hopping, jumping, and climbing as well as games which involve catching, throwing and rolling are great examples of activities that promote the development of gross motor skills. This lesson plan is also a great activity that enhance cognitive development because it involves matching.
This “shuffle board” lesson plan includes the preparation instructions, procedures, and materials list for this activity. It also provides age-appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning. This activity is also a great indoor activity when the weather is not conducive to outdoor activities.
Shuffle Board Activity Materials
- Electrical tape
- Spacious activity area
- Toy cars
- Card Stock or index cards
- Sharpie
Shuffle Board Activity Preparation
- Clear an activity area that is large enough so that all children have proper space while playing the game.
- Use the electrical tape to create shapes along the floor.
- Draw out the same shapes on index cards using the sharpie.
- Set out the toy cars.
Activity Procedures
Invite the children over to activity area and explain that they can play a fun game with toy cars.
Let the children take turns selecting a card and then rolling their card toward the shape on the card. The object is to get the car into the shape and not overshoot. Continue playing until all of the cards have been used, then clear the shuffle board and continue to play another game.
Learning Objectives
Objective 1: To promote whole arm movement as well as hand and wrist control.
- Verbal Cue A: Can you roll the card toward the heart shape?
- Verbal Cue B: Let’s see how close you can roll the card toward the square!
Objective 2: To create the opportunity to develop matching skills.
- Verbal Cue A: What is the shape on the card?
- Verbal Cue B: Which shape on the floor matches the shape on the card?
Objective 3: To develop spatial relationships (body and space perception) using the prepositions forward, backward, and straight ahead in verbal cues.
- Verbal Cue A: Can you roll the car forward to the circle?
- Verbal Cue B: Roll your car straight ahead to the heart shape.
Please keep in mind that this is not a competitive activity, it is simply a fun, skill building activity. Therefore do not enforce rules that promote competition.
Image Source: Stay at Home Educator.
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