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Easter activities for under fives
Easter is approaching, here are three ways to keep your toddlers and preschoolers moving.
Learn the benefits for our children and mokopuna, along with what you'll need and instructions.
Egg and Spoon Race
Benefits:
The egg and spoon race allows children to develop gross motor control and agility. Children can manage pace when moving as they balance and hold the spoon steady.
You will need:
- Balls
- Toy eggs
- Poms Poms
- Water balloons
- Spoons and seives
Instructions:
- Balance an egg on a spoon and run!
- How far can you get without the egg falling off?
Animal Dice
Benefits:
This game allows children to develop confidence to use their imagination.
While interpreting or expressing animal actions such as hopping, crawling or jumping, children are physically challenging their body to create and control movement.
You will need:
- Old tissue box
- Wrapping paper
- Scissors
- Tape
- Printed pictures of animals (or you could involve your older children to draw an animal picture)
Instructions:
- Cover the old tissue box in wrapping paper.
- Cut the animal pictures out and stick one to each side of the box.
- Roll the dice and see what animal it lands on.
- Create the animal action! Can you hop like an Easter Bunny?
Bunny Tails and Tongs
Benefits:
The use of tongs requires hand eye coordination, hand arm coordination, and a lot of fine motor control and dexterity.
As the bunny tails are moved from one container to the next, children are crossing the midline, which also supports balance and vestibular development.
You will need:
- Cotton balls or pom poms
- Muffin tray, ice cube tray, egg carton
- Tongs
Instructions:
- Use the tongs, encourage children to move the bunny tails from one container to the other.
Learn More
The above activities were complied by our Early Childhood Advisor, Lisa Thomson. For more ideas and information about the benefits of movement for under fives join Lisa for her upcoming workshops.
