Equipment & Wheeled Toys

Scooters

Scooters are a great way for children to develop balance.  Speak to friends and family for donations of old scooters, but check safety and height, make sure they are for young children not older children (smaller frame).  Often we see circle roads for wheeled toys, but if the space is big enough, I would recommend an area specifically for wheeled toys without directional suggestions.  Children can use chalk to create their own road and traffic suggestions

Bikes and trikes 

Offer a variety of balance bikes, trikes and bikes, you can also include trailers on the back.  Invite children to engage in transportation tasks ie can you please load all of the soil into your trailer and deliver it to the other side of the playground?

Climbing Frames - Outdoor

Children love to climb and will often only climb as high as they feel able.  If your frame is very high above 2 metres tie a ribbon at two metres and only competent children or none of the children depending on ability, can climb higher.  Make sure they are not too wet and slippery

Climbing frames – Indoors

If you have gym wall bars in your setting, these can be a great opportunity to climb for young children. Ensure they are already set up before the children enter the hall.  Tie the ribbon at 2 metres.   Place the mats around the structure on both sides, add some pirate or Disney style music (Rapunzel!) and let the children climb and navigate the space independently.

Loose parts

Loose parts allows children autonomy and agency over the activity.  Provide a variety of loose parts and encourage children to build and develop structures, paths, obstacles courses, and storytelling.  Item suggestions; Milk crates, bread crates, drain pipes, wooden planks, tyres, spindles, cranks, clothes horses, tarpaulin, reels etc

Gardening

Wheelbarrows, buckets, spades, shovels, hoes, rakes, watering cans, etc – will all boost gross motor movement .  Get children involved in gardening and planting activities.

Sensory pathway

Gather together a variety of pebbles, stones, sand, shingle, shiny pebbles, bricks etc and create a sensory pathway with the children.  Invite them to travel along without shoes and socks to stimulate the sensory receptors in the feet.

Skipping ropes

Offer children skipping ropes – the first stage is to have two adults hold either end and wiggle the rope on the floor.  They think of a colour, each child must jump over the wiggly rope and call out a colour – if they guess the right colour they swap with one of the adults, game repeats.  Progress to wiggling it standing up.  Further progression to swaying to understand timing.

Hula Hoop Skipping

Give each child a Hula hoop and stand inside, hold the front hands shoulder width apart and bring the hoop over their head in front of them and jump, repeat.  This is great for wrist flexibility for future fine motor control.  Progress to short skipping ropes.