Try this hilarious indoor game for preschoolers.

We all know children learn and play in various ways, and this indoor game for preschoolers is a hoot!

When planning simple games, I want to make sure I am touching on all of the different play categories and integrating various concepts that prepare our children for life. Kindergarten topics are important, but life skills are essential.

So what better way to get kids taking turns, using descriptive words, and improve arm strength than using one giant claw similar to what they watch on Toy Story Three. I’ll admit. I joined in on the fun as well. Who can resist a claw game?!

This indoor game had us all laughing!

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This large motor game was a hit!

Large motor activities and gross motor games are essentially the same. Having your preschooler move their body literally wakes up their brain.

These activities involve using the larger muscles in your body. Strengthening these muscles will help with so many other skills!

• Jumping

• Running 

• Moving

• Throwing

• Kicking

• Catching

• Hopping

• Galloping 

• Skipping

• Balance

We want to practice strengthening the large muscles just as much as we practice the fine motor skills. (cutting, pasting, gluing, writing, buttoning, tying, etc.)

Both fine and gross motor skills are important for development.

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Set up with items you already own!

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Most of these supplies are already in your home!

• First, I found a large basket and ran to gather stuffed animals. I put everything into the giant basket.

• Next, I collected our large sensory bin and kitchen tongs.

• I placed a small chair next to the animal bin. – I did this so my preschooler would use his strength to grab, lift, and drop using his arm muscles.

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The preschool indoor game was simple!

The idea was to see which animal you could grab using the claw.

My preschoolers took turns seeing which animal they could hold. Since all of the animals were mixed up, it was so funny to see their reaction as each one was captured.

Some variations to get your preschoolers talking and thinking would be:

• Blindfold the child pulling from the basket. Say clues to help them guess which animal they picked.

• Keep the blindfold off use descriptive words to help increase their vocabulary and pay attention to detail.

• Count the animals grabbed.

• Sort the animals by classifying them into different categories—animals found in water, land animals, animals with a tail, etc.

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We played this indoor game dozens of times before the boys grabbed thier stuffed animals and headed out on thier way. 

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