Animal Walks – Super Easy Brain Break
Animal walks just might be one of the easiest ways to provide movement activities for kids with zero preparation. Whether you are in a classroom, need to burn off energy at home, or want fun strengthening exercises for kids, this type of gross motor play is awesome!
What are Animal Walks?
Animal walks are simply moving like animals do. Think of any animal in your head. How does it get from one place to another? Kangaroos hop, frogs jump, monkeys climb – these are all examples of animal walks.
What Are Animal Walks Good For?
When children play and move like the different animals it can help develop the following:
- muscle strengthening
- flexibility
- motor planning
- aerobic fitness
- play skills
- imagination and creativity!
How awesome is that? One simple way to play can encourage all these development skills in children. This is why you often see animal walks used during occupational therapy, physical therapy, or physical education sessions. It is an easy way to disguise exercise for kids.
Animal Walks – Huge List of Ideas
Do you need ideas of how kids can move like animals? This list is a great starting point. If you run out of ideas, ask the kids! They will come up with some crazy movements and actions to move like the animals do!
Want to add in fine motor and visual motor skills? You can download a black and white copy of these animal actions for the kids to color in. They can move like each animal and color it in as they go! Download the Animal Walks Printable at the bottom of the post.
Anteater – slowly shuffle your feet with your nose pointing down.
Bear – crawl on your hands and feet, don’t let you knees touch the ground.
Cat – crawl and meow! Arch your back.
Duck – squat and waddle like a duck
Elephant – clasp your hands together to make a trunk and stomp your feet.
Fish – squirm and swim like a fish
Giraffe – walk with your legs straight and tall, extend your neck.
Hedgehog – roll up into a small ball
Iguana – slither like a lizard
Jaguar – run as fast as you can
Koala – pretend to climb a tree
Lion – roar and pounce
Mouse – make yourself really small and crawl
Narwhal – put your hands on top of your head like a narwhal horn and move around the room
Owl – stretch your arms out very wide and pretend to fly around the room
Penguin – waddle around
Quail – squat down low and walk
Rhino – move slow and stomp your feet
Snake – slither
Turtle Animal Walks – move in slow motion across the room
Urial – move like a sheep climbing a tall mountain
Vulture – stretch your arms out wide and swoop down as you move
Wolf – crawl quickly
X-Ray FIsh – swim around the room
Yak – This animal has short, thick legs. Bend your knees and practice walking.
Zebra – gallop
More FUN Resources
Spot the Difference Animal Version
Action Alphabet Interactive Game
Step By Step Square Animals Scissor Activity
Animal Alphabet Printable Worksheets
Download your FREE Animal Walks PDF Printable Here
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Illustrations By Ksenya Savva used under a Shutterstock License
