Family Activities To Do Together

Build upper body muscles, which are typically weak in young children. You can help your child develop greater strength by having her paint on paper attached to an easel or taped to a wall or by having her look at books or color while laying on her tummy propped up on her elbows. At the playground, encourage her to climb ladders, slide down fireman's poles and swing from the monkey bars.

Obstacle courses are a fun way to build your child's motor skills. Indoors, you could have your child crawl under chairs, walk slalom style through a line of toys, and log roll across a pile of pillows. Outdoors, use chalk to provide a "balance beam" on the sidewalk, have your child run or hop to trees or patio furniture and challenge him to throw a ball to hit a large object.

Developing balance and coordination are just as important as building muscle strength. Challenge your child to balance a beanbag on his head and walk from one place to another without dropping it. To make it easier, have him hold the beanbag in place. To make it harder, ask him to walk under or around things. For variety, he could balance the beanbag on his elbow, shoulder or the back of his hand.