Simple And Fun Animal Walks For Toddlers: Boost Core Strength With Outdoor Gross Motor Play

I hated school sports. I am short, have bad eyesight and was always the last picked for teams, unless my friends were chosen as leaders.

In preschool it was different. I liked movement (without everything being a competition or grade). Animal walks was one movement activity I loved. So, I introduced it to my 2-year-old and… he loves it too <3.

Here we crawled like cats: Since we tested it the first time we switched it up a bit with a drawing board. Check below.

What Are Animal Walks?

Ok I googled forever to find what it’s called these days. “Move like an animal”, “animal movement game” finally I found animal walks: Here is a simple explanation:

Animal walks are fun and simple gross motor activities that mimic how animals move—think hopping like a bunny, waddling like a duck, or crawling like a bear. These animal walk exercises are popular in preschool, therapy, and of course at home because they build core strength, balance, and coordination and your toddler giggles a lot and burns off extra energy.

Table Of Contents

What Are Animal Walks?
My Personal Experience with Animal Walks for Toddlers
Move Like an Animal! (29+ Simple, Silly, Toddler-Approved Ideas)
🐾 Popular Animal Movements in Preschool
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My Personal Experience with Animal Walks for Toddlers

I’ve found a way to make animal walks engaging even for my energetic 2-year-old!

We use a small magnetic drawing board. My son either tells me which animal to draw or I suggest one. Then, we act it out—hopping like a rabbit, sliding like a snake, or doing a toddler-friendly crab walk around the apartment. He loves the drawing board and often asks for new animals.

What I treasure most is how he brings his own ideas to life. Not every “traditional” animal walk works at his age, so we improvise. The key is adapting to your toddler’s creativity and physical ability, while keeping it fun and playful.

Move Like an Animal! (29+ Simple, Silly, Toddler-Approved Ideas)

Here’s a big list of “move like an animal” ideas I’ve tried with my son—or ones I have on our “to-do” list for the next time he grabs the drawing board and says, “Draw a bee!”

Some of these are classics, and others are totally made up based on what he’s into that day. Honestly, it doesn’t have to be perfect. The goal is movement and fun.

🐾 Popular Animal Movements in Preschool

Animal	Animal Movement Description	Supports Development Of
🐰 Rabbit	Hop with both feet, hands on head as ears	Coordination, leg strength
🐻 Bear	Walk on hands and feet (hips high)	Core strength, full-body coordination
🐸 Frog	Squat and make big forward jumps	Jump power, balance
🐤 Duck	Waddle in a squat, flap arms like wings	Balance, leg strength
🐍 Snake	Crawl on belly, slither, and hiss	Body tension, imagination
🐘 Elephant	Big stomping steps, one arm as a trunk	Gross motor skills, rhythm
🐢 Turtle	Crawl slowly, round the back	Body awareness, calmness
🐵 Monkey	Jump around, arms up, make silly “ooh ooh ah ah” sounds	Expressiveness, movement joy
🦀 Crab	Walk backwards on hands and feet (hips up)	Coordination, back strength
🦁 Lion	Creep quietly, then roar loudly	Confidence, vocal expression
🐦 Bird	Stretch arms out and flap like wings	Arm mobility, spatial awareness
🐎 Horse	Gallop with clicking tongue sounds	Rhythm, leg movement
🦢 Swan	Walk on tiptoes, arms out elegantly	Balance, body awareness
🐜 Ant	Small quick steps, run around busily	Endurance, responsiveness
🦋 Butterfly	Spin lightly with fluttering arms	Rhythm, arm coordination
🐞 Ladybug	Crawl on all fours, curl up your back	Strength, core control
🐬 Dolphin	Light jumps with arms like fins	Imagination, jumping ability
🐄 Cow	Walk slowly, make loud “Moo” sounds	Breath and voice awareness
🐖 Pig	Wiggle walk on all fours, snort like a pig	Fun, mimicking sounds and movement
🐓 Rooster	Walk proudly, head up, crow “cock-a-doodle-doo”	Self-confidence, vocal strength
🦉 Owl	Stand still, then raise arms suddenly while “hoo-hooing”	Impulse control, focus
🐊 Crocodile	Crawl low on belly, snap arms like jaws	Arm strength, tension control
🐈 Cat	Creep slowly and quietly, stretch and arch the back	Flexibility, body control
🐿️ Squirrel	Pretend to climb and hide acorns, make quick hops	Role play, fine/gross motor integration
🐠 Fish	Wiggle side to side, swim with arms	Balance, imagination
🐑 Sheep	Walk slowly while saying “Baaa”	Speech development, mimicry
🦘 Kangaroo	Big jumps while pretending to carry something in a pouch	Leg strength, body control
🐕 Dog	Walk on all fours, bark, sit and stay	Rule-following, body language awareness
🐺 Wolf	Sneak around, then stop and howl “Awoooo”	Confidence, vocal use
🐳 Whale	Big slow movements, pretend to leap out of the water	Spatial awareness, coordination
🦋 Caterpillar	Crawl low, slowly “grow” and stretch into a butterfly	Core strength, imaginative movement
🦢 Goose	Walk upright and flap loudly	Group movement, following rhythm
🐓 Hen	Peck with hands, flap and cluck “bok bok”	Coordination, sound-action connection
🐦 Chick	Tiny hops and high-pitched “cheep cheep”	Pitch recognition, light jumping
🐺 Fox	Sneak low to the ground, quick darting steps	Stealth, reaction speed
🐫 Camel	Slow exaggerated steps, move head side to side	Balance, movement control
🐼 Panda	Roll gently, crawl slowly on all fours	Gentle tumbling, calm movement
🦎 Lizard	Low belly crawl, turn head slowly	Core and neck strength
🐓 Chicken	Bob head, flap elbows like wings	Rhythm, fun mimicry
🐋 Humpback Whale	Arch back, sway slowly like in water	Full-body movement, flow
🦥 Sloth	Move very slowly, drag hands and feet	Patience, control
🐫 Dromedary Camel	Walk and swing one arm as a “hump”	Pretend play, body movement creativity
🦒 Giraffe	Walk tall on tiptoes, arms stretched up high	Balance, posture awareness
🐃 Buffalo	Stomp in heavy steps, puff like you’re strong	Strength play, empowerment
🦇 Bat	Hunch over, flap arms fast, then hang (if possible)	Fantasy movement, body control
🐩 Poodle	Fancy small steps, turn in circles	Coordination, imagination
🐓 Turkey	Strut with wiggling fingers as feathers	Playfulness, motor creativity
🐈‍⬛ Panther	Move slow and smooth, then pounce	Control, big movement bursts
🐕‍🦺 Sheepdog	Herd friends (with permission!), bark, run in a circle	Social awareness, energetic play