Rough and Tumble Activities
A 26-page educator resource exploring physical play through movement, balance, body awareness, pushing and pulling, climbing, crawling, cooperation and playful physical challenge, with reminders around developmental readiness, supervision and individual comfort.
Children often seek pushing, pulling, climbing, rolling, crashing and playful physical movement because these experiences give their bodies important information about balance, strength, body awareness and space. At home, rough and tumble play does not need to mean uncontrolled wrestling. You might try crawling races, climbing over cushions, pushing a large cardboard box, rolling across a soft mat or playing a gentle hand-pushing game. The important part is that the play remains mutual, supervised and enjoyable for everyone involved. Watch your child's signals, keep the environment safe and stop when anyone is uncomfortable or no longer enjoying the game.