Gross Motor Skill : Scooping Foam Alphabets/Balls (Water Play)

Gross motor skill is as important as fine motor skill, this time I decide to do something simple for my little one to train her little arms.

For this activity, there's not much to prepare and set up is kind of effortless, however as it involves water, parent/guardian need to provide 100% attention.

Toddler's Age : Approximate 27 months old. (Probably suitable from 18months?)

Materials:

• Fishing Net ($2 from Daiso)
• Foam Alphabets n Numbers / Bath Toys / Balls / Sponge
• Tub/Pail
• Water

Steps:

1. Wash Tub, "Fishes" and Fishing Net

2. Fill Tub/Pail with some water.

(In order not to waste water I actually let her play this fishing game after she have taken a bathe and the water used is actually from her tub time! PS I don't give her tub time everyday.)

3. Put the "fishes" in, hand the net to child

4. Name items you want him/her to scoop.

Example: A yellow ball, or a pink alphabet, or a lego piece, or alphabet X.

I don't think LO have ever seen a fishing net but once she lay her hands on it she automatically knew what to do with it. I am impressed and at the same time felt somewhat lacking? I called out colours or alphabets and she took them out correctly and really quickly too!

*Increase difficulty by increasing quantity of toys and also try putting more toys varieties.

To make it more interesting, I would give different instructions instead of asking for the items directly.  Like asking for a particular alphabet, then maybe next ask for any item of a particular colour, follow by just name of a toy (e.g. a ball, a lego), or any alphabet in a particular colour, or even name a shape! She needs to look at the items and pick up the one that fits what I describe/request.

Do you have any gross motor skill activity to recommend? :)