10 Toys that Develop Gross Motor Skills

*this post was originally published on 3/26/15.  Enjoy!

 Gross Motor Skills involve the large muscles groups and improve blanace, coordination, crossing the mid-line, and set a child up for an overall healthier lifestyle.  Play is essential in developing these gross motor skills.  These are just a few examples of toys that make developing these skills fun:

1. Tunnel-- We love having a tunnel in this house.  This one is great for toddlers on up through early elementary.  It's a fun day to play tag, hide and seek, building an obstacle course, and improve balance, and weight shifting.

2. Baseball bat and T-- Swinging a bat doesn't just have to be about baseball.  It's also about building up those arm muscles, making the arms and waist work together, hand-eye coordination, and focus.  And you'll love the look on your preschooler's face when they actually connect with the ball.

3. Bouncy Ball-- Large bouncy balls are a lot of fun for bouncing, switching hands, and catching.  Throw them on the ground and kick them around while your child works on foot-eye coordination as well.

4. Balance Beam-- Balance beams are easy and inexpensive to construct.  And if not, pick up a roll or painter's tape and make a balance beam on the floor.  Great of improving balance, muscle development, and a sense of confidence.

5. Basketball Hoop-- What little one doesn't love to throw a ball into a hoop?  Great for aim, working the legs and arms together, and focus.

6. Hula Hoops-- Hula hoops are so versatile.  Swing them on your arm, around your waist, lay them on the ground to hop through, use them for hopscotch, etc.

7. Dancing Ribbons-- We all love to dance.  And adding ribbons makes it even more fun.  How many ways can you swing the ribbons and make them fly?

8. Tossing Games-- Along with basketball, tossing games help coordinate the arms, hands, and wrists.  Toss bean bags in a basket or hula hoops, make a corn hole game, or invest in toss across.

9. Sit N Spin-- Sit N Spin is a fun way to coordinate the arms while spinning.  It requires concentration on the hands and arms as they are always moving.

10. Toddler Riding toys, tricycles, and bicycles--These ride-on toys require the coordination of several muscles groups to propel a child forward.  Additionally, your child is working on balance and cardio vascular health.

What toys have you found helpful in developing gross motor skills?

The Foundation of a Disciplemaking Culture

 

Are churches called to disciplemaking?  What does that look like? How does one think in terms of disciplemaking?  

In The Foundation of a Disciplemaking Culture, Justin G. Gravitt focuses on the principles for developing this kind of culture in your church.  He particularly highlights the need for casting vision and ensuring that a disciplemaking culture maintains momentum beyond the first and second generation.  

Discipleship in the church has been coming up a lot in my reading lately.  This book in particularly is great for casting vision and reminding all of us about the Great Commission.  Jesus' commission was to the church... not the church leaders, not the scholars, but the whole church.  So if we're called to imitate Christ, then disciplemaking needs to be in our DNA as well.  Gravitt's book reminds readers that discipleship is should be the basic core of church life.  This really is a great read for living and serving like Jesus did.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.

What's in Our October Morning Basket?

*This post was originally published on 10/9/18.  Enjoy1

It's a new month and time to share what's in our morning basket.  From Medieval history to earth science, we hitting multiple subjects and mixing things up.

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A Lancaster Amish Christmas {Review}

This four novella compilation includes works by authors Anne Blackburne, Amy Clipston, Mindy Steele, and Amy Lillard.  All four novella are centered around Lancaster County and the holiday season.

Lucy's Christmas Sunbeam by Anne Blackburne introduces readers to Lucy and her younger sister.  When Lucy's parents die, she takes on raising her little sister, born with Down's syndrome.  But when her boyfriend turns sinister, Lucy breaks things off and decides to go it alone. Till one day she runs into the new hardware store owner and love is awakened.  But can Lucy keep her little family together while pursuing love?

In A Bird in Hand Christmas by Amy Clipstone, recently widowed Makayla returns home to visit her parents for Christmas.  Little does she know that old flame Wyatt was recently employed by her father.  Can these two overcome old rumors to build a life together?  Or will Makayla enter into a loveless marriage with someone else?

Christmas Lily by Amy Lillard tells the story of seven year old Jacob who develops a crush on his new school teacher and sets out to play matchmaker between her and his recently widowed father.  But the two are far from friendly.  Will mother nature plot to bring the two of them together?  Or will Jacob find himself saying good-bye to his teacher forever?

In Leaving Lancaster by Mindy Steele, three sister, Louise, Beth, and Leah, discover their father has decided to sell the family farm and move to Kentucky.  All three sister have mixed feelings about the move.  With only on Christmas left on the farm, will the girls find their miracle?

It typically really hard to develop interesting characters within a novella.  However, all four authors did an incredible job of bringing their characters and stories to life.  I was very pleasantly surprised at how much interest was packed into these novellas, making them just as engaging as full length novels.  Each story is told from a unique viewpoint, from single parenthood to older marriages to second marriages.  All in all, I felt like this collection was really well done.  All the authors took the time with their storytelling and created a wonderful set for the Christmas season.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

 

Weekend Links ll Oct 4, 2024

Discipling Your Kids When 

You're Struggling

Free October Nature Guide

Free Pumpkins and Corn Nature Study

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

Josiah helped me make beef stew earlier this week as part of his history homework.  We’re studying the Irish potato famine, but I’m all about doing the cooking activities when given the chance.  We used their recipe as a base and then made it our own.  It was delicious.

What I'm Reading:

I just started a book on developing a discipleship culture in the church.  Funny enough it goes along with some of the podcasts I’ve been listening too as well.  Lots of information to digest and think through.  Reviews coming soon.

What I'm Doing:

We spent the week catching up on appointments… well visits, pointe shoes, PSAT set up, etc.  I felt like I was in the car a lot this week.  But totally planning on getting some crafting time in this weekend.

 

What I'm Enjoying:

Carmel Apple cupcakes…

Our Scripture memory box…

Afternoon swimming…

21 Day Fix Extreme…

Cool mornings…

What are you up to?