Click here to read 4 Blanket Games To Play That Burn Off Energy & Encourage Gross Motor Skills on Hands On As We Grow®
Grab some blankets or sheets to burn energy with those kiddos while exercising their gross motor skills with these easy games.
If you wear them out enough, you can even take the blankets straight to nap time!
Play these 4 Gross Motor Blanket Games
Household items are excellent tools for fun or silly activities at home with kids.
I find toddlers and preschoolers especially get a kick out of using them in ways we don’t normally do.
And these blanket games are no exception.
Enjoy the building of gross motor skills in your toddlers and preschoolers with these super simple games.
The best part is that you can whip these out any time.
We often go to these gross motor ideas when the kids have extra energy to burn.
Or even on a rainy or snowy day when you are stuck indoors.
Go ahead and give one or all of these blanket games a try at your house!
Supplies Needed for all 4 Gross Motor Games
- Blanket(s) or flat sheets
- Balloons, balls (think light ones, like for ball pits), or small stuffed animals
- Clothes pins or safety pins
Blanket Sleigh Kids Pulling Game
For this activity, all you need is a sturdy blanket and (preferably) a hard and smooth surface.
Have your child sit on the blanket.
Then, holding it by one corner, pull them through the house.
Voila! Instant sleigh ride!
Once they understand the idea, have siblings take turns pulling each other or let the little ones give their stuffies a ride.
This “heavy work” activity is great for hyper kids who can’t sit still – so load up that blanket.
Mom Hack #1: Use old sheets or towels and let it double as dusting the hard floors!
Mom Hack #2: Have the kids pick up toys from one room and carry them over to their proper location during the ride.
Burrito Roll-Up Blanket Rolling Game
Grab a blanket and lay it flat on the floor.
Fold it in half (or quarters) length-wise to adjust to your child’s height.
Have your little one lay at one end of the blanket.
Leaving their head uncovered on one side, roll your kid up like a burrito!
Let them squirm, wiggle, and unroll their way out of the casing.
This blanket game is GREAT core work since they can’t use their arms to escape.
Keep the activity going by timing them and challenge them to beat their record.
Do you have multiple kids?
Roll them all up and make it a race to see who can escape first!
Ghost Chase Blanket Game for Kids
Grab that trusty old blanket and throw it over your head.
That’s right.
Now you’re a ghost.
This game is great because it’s super easy and you get to scare your kids (see “Big Kid Variation” below).
As the ghost, simply chase your kids around the house.
I like to hold the blanket out away from me a bit so that I can see where I’m stepping and avoid any building blocks or metal cars!
To “catch” your kids, billow out the blanket like a parachute, trap them underneath, then pull them in with a big, cozy hug.
Mom Hack: I sometimes suggest this game if I have a couple texts or an email I need to respond to on my phone. I don’t like being on my phone in front of my kids, so I can play with them and take care of a little business while I slowly walk around the house.
Big Kid Hiding Ghost Variation:
Combine Ghost Chase with Hide-and-Seek.
Turn off all the lights, give the kids flashlights and let the ghost hide.
The kids walk around the house with the flashlights trying to find the ghost before the ghost jumps out to scare THEM!
And while you have the lights out with those older kiddos, check out these other cool ways to learn in the dark or get creative with shadow puppets!
Blanket Parachute Game: Kicking, Throwing, Catching, Jumping
Remember those awesome days in elementary gym class when your teacher brought out the parachute?
Those were my FAVORITE days.
Good news! You don’t need 21 other kids and a pricey parachute to have the same kind of fun at home.
All you need is a flat sheet and pins or clips.
If you don’t have multiple children at home to help hold all the edges of the sheet, simply tuck one edge into the couch cushions, or set up some chairs to secure the sides with clothes pins or safety pins.
Once you have secured the other ends of the sheet, then invite your little one over for the fun.
Fluff, shake, and billow the sheet.
The possibilities are endless!
Our Favorite Blanket Parachute Games:
- Add balloons, small balls, or small stuffed animals to the mix. Have your child try to shake them out or keep them in.
- Run under the sheet when it’s up and duck down to be trapped underneath.
- Race underneath the sheet and try to make it to the other side without being caught (I like to add a pillow pile for them to dive into on the “exit” side.)
- Secure all four corners of the sheet suspended in the air like a canopy (over couches, cushions or chairs) and have them lay underneath using their hands or feet to push/kick the balls off the sheet. See if they can use controlled movements to remove only one item at a time. (Have older kids do this, then have younger ones throw them back on top.)
- Try to keep the balloons on top of the sheet when bouncing around, or bounce the balloons off and have kids catch them before they hit the ground.
Never underestimate the entertainment value of things you have lying around your home!
Blankets, pillows, towels, balloons – why fill your house with more toys when you can get the same results with what’s on hand?
What is your favorite household staple your kids use to play?
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