Classic Play : A review

Classic Play is an online magazine dedicated to celebrating the joys of childhood.

It is inspirational and very refreshing - and there is a Sports Issue.

Check it out here.

Giants

The picture story book 'Giants' by Nick Maland was the prompt for the Tunnel Ball idea.

This is a book about empathy and letting go of assumptions and prejudices. Sweet Pea and Boogaloo take a walk through what looks like many many giants' legs.

You can find a review of it here.

Happy reading.

Tunnel Ball fun

The team game of tunnel ball can be great fun and is very appropriate for the Preschool age group.

In tunnel ball, groups of people stand in single file - with a gap of an arms length between each team member -  with the legs wide apart. The person at the beginning of the file begins by rolling the ball down the file until it reaches the end person who collects the ball and runs up the side to the front of the file. The ball must pass under the legs of each person. In the meantime, the group shuffles down a position. The new leader repeats the process until the original leader returns to the front.

This activity can be played very informally but it can also be very competitive with many rules to be adhered to.

Playing at home with your Preschooler is a great idea as it gives your little one a chance to grasp the concept of the game before it is introduced in a group setting - allowing them to get on with enjoying the activity.

A few tips....
Begin with a Use a soft ball that is the size of the participants chest...they should be able to tuck it under one arm.
The leader must ensure the ball begins on the ground before it is rolled.
Encourage the leader to look under the legs to get a straight aim.

Toddlers need not apply.

Weight, Shape and Appearance

There are many things we can do as parents - and educators - to help our little ones develop a healthy body image.

....Body image refers to how a person perceives, thinks and feels about their physical appearance. While a person’s appearance encompasses only a small part of who they are and what they contribute to the world, body image too commonly represents a person’s greater sense of self worth, whereby poor body image contributes directly to low self esteem. 


The thinking has been that the teenage years were the appropriate time to discuss issues and concerns relating to weight shape and appearance...but not so.

Unhealthy body image can begin at an early age...and anyone who works and or live with little ones could have a powerful and long lasting influence on the development of a positive body image; one where there is an acceptance of DIVERSITY in weight, shape and appearance of people.

As we go about our day, we are surrounded by images and messages that portray a narrow view of what is acceptable or good weight, shape and appearance.  Movies, TV dramas, advertisements, the influence of friends and family, music videos, music lyrics, magazines, video games, slogans and texts on clothes, seem to portray an ideal but unrealistic and many times overly sexualised image.

And it is a slippery slope from being innocent and harmless to being inappropriate.

My current concern is the overemphasis on appearance. I counted the number of times my Preschooler focused on her appearance in one day...too many to mention here. But what I found more interesting and alarming was the number of times people in our community would stop in the street and make a comment (before I can intervene) about her ensemble, or clips, her hair, her shoes - all very innocent and friendly but this happens every day. What message is that sending to the brain of a four year old girl?

I wish to avoid an overemphasis on appearance - one where it prevents her from doing more important things...like participating, or just being in the 'moment'.

The next few years, she will be joining the dots about body weight and shape - as well as appearance. So I hope and plan to provide her with the protective coping tools to help her navigate through this minefield. Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria has a website which provides a very helpful list of what parents and teachers can do to promote healthy views on weight shape and appearance. I have linked it
here.

On a final note...where do you stand on these?

Make up for tweens

Bratz dolls

The following of Suri's style?

Milk Carton Catchers

An oldie but a goodie. Homemade catchers - of sorts - made by recycling milk cartons.

I used a soft sided 3 litre carton. Sharp edges should be covered with tape - this carton was surprisingly not sharp at all.

This can be used individually; throwing and catching any object that will fit comfortably in it. Begin with items that won't roll away to readily...ie. beanbags or soft toys  are ideal.

It can also be used by two people to throw and catch to each other. With older children, suggest rallies over a makeshift net, suggest boundaries and begin simple rules. Include a bounce before catching.

We are at the stage of scooping up balls and anything that will fit in the carton. Quite a lot of investigation has taken place with regard to what fits in the carton, the tipping angle before it falls out, the noise each item makes. Not much PE yet, but a lot of other learning taking place.

And of course there is also a great deal of laughter. As you can see, all this takes place before breakfast is over.

Shapes with Elastics

Can you make a shape with three sides?

And upside down triangle.....and a right way up triangle

 Does anyone have a different shape with three sides?

A triangle where all the sides are the same length

What other shapes can be made?

A four sided shape

During this activity students exercised their mind and bodies. Spatial awareness, language, strength, flexibility, creative thinking, working in pairs.

Zigzag Lines

Zig Zag as a pathway appears in many sports and team games; skiing, dribbling in hockey, ducking and weaving in ball games. Changing directions whilst moving at a pace is described at agility and is important in many running games.

Seeing the patterns, and then using the patterns in their movement experiences gives them the foundation for when they search for a way to navigate through obstacles.

I used masking tape to make one zigzag line on the rug. We then walked along it, pushed toy cars along it and then stepped, ran and jumped over it. Many creative suggestions were put forward regarding how one might travel along and/or over it.

This activity took place over the course of the day. The zigzag line was put in place at breakfast. Allowing plenty of time for the inspiration and ideas to flow through and then the opportuntiy to return to the activity results in richness in the results - one of the many benefits of doing PhysEd at home.

Also, a larger carpeted area would have also been handy.

Resource Review

I recently attended a fabulous workshop presented by Robyn Crowe - a specialists in the area of motor development for Preschoolers and Primary aged children. Highly regarded for her innovative ideas and equipment, Robyn's passion for this area comes through in her workshops. She was very engaging and inspiring. You can find Robyn Crowe here .

Robyn has an interesting unit on elastics. We have been using elastics to continue to develop spatial awareness. I bought waistband elastics at the haberdashery store. For my Preschooler, I used a length of 160cm and tied the ends together. I also made a set for myself - adult size 2m and toddler size 120cm in length.

I left them on the coffee table to be discovered by the little ones and supervised their exploration of the new equipment. During this time, I showed the little ones how to use them safely..no stretching and flicking etc.

Then I pointed to solid shapes around the house - can you make a rectangle/square/triangle/quadrilateral?  could there be different ones? how about lying down? with one foot, or bottom. For older children,  rotations and reflections of shapes could be introduced.

Lots of fun.

40/40 with toddlers

There are many playground games that could be adapted for play at home.

'40/40 Save All' is a good one.

Pick a suitable 'home'. Assign someone as 'It'. Everyone finds a suitable hiding position.

A suitable position is one where 'Home' and 'It' can be seen by the player. The aim is to not be found by 'It' but also to return home while 'It' is away  from 'Home' searching for other players. ie. if Home is a tree, a suitable hiding spot could be simply on the other side of the tree.

'It' has to look for players and call out '40/40 I see John on the stairs' when players are spotted. 'It' also has to protect 'Home' and not let any players reach home while they are away - the consequence being another turn at being 'it'.

I played this recently with my little ones...an adapted version of course. I was 'It' and allowed my preschooler to reach 'Home', while I pretended to look for her. When she was 'It', I hid in places where it was easy for her to find me, or when I saw she was looking elsewhere, I would attempt to run 'home' but letting her reach home before I did. Lots of fun.

'What's the time Mr Wolf?'

Lunch time!!

Today, whilst on an excursion to the zoo, we stumbled upon a beautiful bit of outdoor space in our search for a spot to sit for lunch. A patch of grass, dappled shade, trees, shrubs - just perfect for a game of 'What's the time Mr Wolf".

My Preschooler had a turn at being the Wolf first. Counting is a really big 'thing' right now. 13 was the call - so she only had a couple of calls before I was right upon her. When I was close enough, I snatched the hat and ran back to base (which was the stroller). Not bad since I had my toddler in my arms.

When it was my turn (with the toddler still in my arms) I included my toddler into the game by holding up his fingers to represent the time ie. number of steps to be taken. Since the numbers we chose were small, we had several calls to make. At the call of lunchtime, we chased the Preschooler back to base - safe to play another time.
 
 It does not take long for the enthusiastic to learn the strategy and rules of the game. The wolf lures the participants close enough to him so that he can call out 'lunchtime' and catch someone. The participants tries to get as close to the wolf as possible to steal his 'treasure' (in my case, it was the hat - but a ball or scarf tucked into the pants would be safer) and return to the safety of the 'base' - usually a line (or in my case, the stroller).

Lots of fun.

This game is so perfect for Preschoolers as it involves few rules, counting, singing, estimating space, strategic thinking, anticipation, developing reaction time, agility - gleefulness. Having a turn at being the Wolf also builds self esteem.

I usually play this game with larger groups but as I found out today, it worked with just the three of us.

And now, it is bed time.

In Praise of the Ikea Noje

Such a versatile item.

Hang them. Put them on the floor. Use them together or separate them.

As targets, they are ideal for little learners. Arranged in a cluster of three, it increases the chances of success to encourage early attempts at throwing. Arranged in a single file, each container has a different difficult rating - important for scaffolding, adding interest and for encouraging little ones.

They nest into each other - and they collapse....so they do not take up too much space.

Three cheers for the Noje.

It's About Time - ACHPER

What do you get when over a 1000 Phys Ed/Health/Sport teachers gather for a conference?

A whole lot of energy, enthusiasm, tracksuits and of course, opportunities to connect and reconnect.

I attended the 2010 Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation annual conference which took place over the past two days. And as always, I am filled with great new ideas, greater determination, and a more defined purpose.

Physical Education - whether it be at home/school/sporting club - is learning how to move, to do and to play. With knowledge comes confidence and with confidence comes participation.  

This year, the theme was 'It's About Time' - to take stock of the amount of time assigned to PE classes in busy crowded school curricula and about lobbying for more PE.

I also think it could be about making time to participate in physical activity with our children. As parents we can give our little ones a wide range of positive physical experiences - and our time.

So I have a few new topics and ideas to help do just that - and will share these ideas over the coming days.

Kindayoga

While on the topic of DVDs...there is one other we like to put on and follow along whilst still in our pyjamas.

KindaYoga.- Jungle Story Vol 1. Found here.

I have been attending Yoga classes - albeit inconsistently - over the past ten years and so have built up knowledge and experience of how it is best delivered to those new to and still discovering it.

It is very child friendly and introduces yoga in a very fun and appropriate way.

I particularly love the quiet breathing.

We can now do some of the poses without the DVD - and practise it together on the grass in the backyard. I have also borrowed the breathing technique when the need to bring the energy/anxiety level down a few notches arises.

So, Kindayoga is with us all the time.

Miss Vicky on holidays

With the Ballet concert over for the year, there are no more dance classes to attend. This morning, we had quite a leisurely Monday morning compared to the rush to get to dance lessons during the school term.

"Why is Ms Vicky on holidays? Why does she need a break?" inquired my Preshooler.

Fortunately, I was prepared for this moment and pulled out the Ballet conditioning DVD I bought at an opportunity shop.

We - my toddler, my preschooler and myself - all stood in front of the TV - in our pyjamas and barefoot (as recommended by Elise - the ballerina on the cover) and attempted some of the exercises. 

The pace was slow -  hence ideal for our purposes and I personally found it quite a good workout and enjoyed the ballet context of the exercises. I tried all the exercises and my Preschooler attempted the ones she had done in class with her teacher - as well as others I thought were safe and appropriate.

Our preschooler was impressed that the ballerina on TV was doing the same things as Ms Vicky; and the moves were performed nearly as well as her.

And my toddler loved attempting the arabesque.

So we may well be seeing Miss Elise on DVD every Monday morning.

The hidden treasures of Active Play

With warmth in the air and more consistent sunny weather, our little ones have spent a lot of time preoccupied with outside play.

Many turns of the garden collecting little jugs of water, mud and sand for the making of mud pies (Preschooler) and carting, transporting pebbles and relocating objects from the back yard to front yard (Toddler) have kept both very busy - leaving me with snatches of time to do some weeding here and there.

There have been moments - briefly - where all three of us are engrossed in our own little endeavour.

Randomly slotted in amongst all this mud pie making and carting are bouts of Active Play...spontaneous skipping, hula hooping, walking-stilt(ing), hopscotching, croqueting, Jumping Jacks....etc I am glad I have just allowed for them to be lead by their imaginations and inspirations.

I came across a website which outlines the benefits of such activities when it is self lead by little individuals - rather than directed by an adult.  the hidden treasures of active play.

I also like the tips and suggestion on Role modeling for children. It is a fantastic resource.

When John and Jane went out walking....

.....they were busy talk, talk, talking. (The Pear in the Pear Tree - Pamela Allen)

We do a lot of walking - to the shops, to the park, to the river to feed ducks, to the train station and then to the zoo, museum, friends when visiting.

And while sometimes, it is much easier to use the stroller for both my Pre-schooler and toddler, I am glad that the walking option usually wins.

Because, walking is often accompanied by talking...and the topics we cover and the depth of insights that come out never ceases to amaze me.

I came across this article by Sarah Wilson during my weekend newspaper reading that may explain when 'walking and talking' go so well together.

And I hope that all this walking will prepare us all for our first short hike this summer.

Review: YMCA Play Gym

There are several YMCA Recreation Centers in our city. They offer a range of fantastic programs.

One in particular is the Play Gym. For the cost of about $6 per child, toddlers and Preschoolers (with the assistance of a carer) have access to a fully equipped gymnastics gym - a real gymnastics gym - complete with foam pit into which they can tumble.

For 45minutes, little ones and carers move around the space and try their hand on the special apparatus.

As one can see from the pictures, we have not been a for a while because,  I could not see how I could spot and coach the Preschooler and still keep the toddler from injuring himself.

But I think the 'age and stage' of our two little ones is just right now.

Play Gym sessions being an indoor activity is not only a fantastic option for when the weather is cold; it is also ideal when the weather is too hot and sunny or for when the pollen count in the air is at the highest it has been for10 years.

The challenge for me will be to remember the visit is for the little ones, not for me to revisit my gymnastics skills.

Line Jumping

Using any line on the floor, this activity develops laterality, Left and Right Concepts, directionality, static and dynamic balance and creativity.

A masking tape could be used on the floor to mark the line.  The line could be anywhere from 1 m to 4 m. This could be done with one child or small groups.

Ask your little one to listen and look up at you when you are directing. Pause until you have their attention before you begin instructions.

The instructions are:
Jump over the line; forwards, backwards. Take off and land on two feet in a controlled manner.
Jump over the line and do a quarter turn whilst in the air, turn to the left/and or right.
Jump over the line by taking off on one foot and land on two feet.
With feet side by side, jump from one side to the other - forward and backwards.
Straddle with feet on either side of the line and jog with high knee raises along the length of the line

What combination of the above could be put together in a routine?
How else could the line be traversed? crossed?

Make up a little song or rap to help remember the routine.

Product Review: Go! Go! Sports Girls, Girls Sports Dolls

I found these dolls on the internet. 
 Go! Go! Girls!

My immediate reaction is positive - if not for my own Preschooler but as a teaching tool/cheering squad/demonstration aid?

I particularly like the Swimming and Gymnastics dolls.

But I am wondering if there are Go! Go! Sports Boys?

Swooped and Spooked

A few weekends ago while on a training ride for the Great Victorian Bike Ride, I was swooped by a bird - possibly a Grey ButcherBird.

Thankfully, I was riding along the heavily wooded bike path along a Freeway and not on the road with traffic flowing close by. It was quite a frightening experience with potentially disastrous results had I been in a busier location.

So last Sunday, keen to not let this incident put me off riding, I rode with a head(helmet)dress.

I turned a few heads, I got a few smiles and I may have looked silly - but I had PIECE OF MIND at least for one leg of my ride.

Because, on my return leg I looked down at my shadow and noticed with horror the absence of spikes on my helmet.

This post is to say farewell to my head(helmet)dress - you gave me confidence to ride through Magpie Swooping territory.

For more information on Swooping Birds click on here.

I am going to try googly eyes for my next ride.

Monkey Bar Magic

As a kid, I spent a great deal of time just hanging around the school monkey bars. Like most primary school girls at the time, I had callouses at the base of my fingers on my palms.

So today, I was quite pleased when my Preschooler showed me how she could hang and bring her legs up between her hands and hang. A fellow kinder had showed her how to it.

There were big smiles.

I was keen to show her other tricks but exercised restraint. Because I still clearly remember the many hours I spent under the bars, I do not underestimate power of the peer and the value of peer teaching on the monkey bars.

The photo above is an example of the set up at the kindergarten. There were two trestles like this one with a monkey ladder across them for hanging etc. I love the climbing wall.

This combination along with a set of parallel bars would be a perfect set up for any small backyard.

Sugar Plum Fairy

We have our first Ballet Concert this Sunday.

Hair bun nets, bobby pins, stage and lighting rehearsals - it is all new to us and very exciting.

But, I noticed a few weeks ago some reluctance from our preschooler to attend Ballet classes. After some probing, I discovered that while the majority of the lesson was appealing, the rehearsal of the dance routine to be performed at the concert was putting her off. Remembering it all was overwhelming.

So, thanks to a very understanding dance teacher and the 'record' button on our camera, we have overcome this obstacle.

With the routine recorded and downloaded onto the home laptop, we have been able to learn the dance in small bite sized sessions spread across the day. We first focused on just the feet movements, then the arm actions and then finally, listening to the music for the cues.

It has been fun embracing this event as a family. Our preschooler is looking forward to the concert with more confidence now, our toddler son runs around with a tutu on, I can do a tondu - and even dadda knows a few of the dance moves.

Indoor Bowling Alley

The most hectic part of our day is from 4.30pm to bed time. And it is usually during the making of dinner when both little ones seem to run out of puff for entertaining themselves.

So I set them up with an activity and/or task that keeps them busy for ten or so minutes at a time - long enough for me to complete the dinner process.

Today, I used a part of the kitchen as a Ten Pin Bowling Alley. I set them up with the bucket of soft indoor balls and a set of light plastic bowling pins. But instead of bowling, we practised our kicking.

I talk first about comfortable/stronger leg and foot - the dominant one, and the balance foot/leg - the non-dominant one. I demonstrate the process quite often so that they see the action - and I encourage their attempts to quickly follow the demonstration. This, I feel is important during the cognitive stage of learning.

See it and then quickly have a go at it.

The non-dominant foot is placed to the side and behind the ball while the dominant leg swings into the ball with the toe making contact with ball. Having a bucket of balls handy means there is less time wasted fielding the ball.

This task today was a confidence booster as the pins fell down easily.

Our kicking fairies got many strikes by foot today.

Good, Better, Best...

Never let it rest,
Until your good is better,
And your better is your best.

An ex-colleague - now friend - of mine used to teach this little chant to her students.

I love it - it is catchy, easy to remember and a good example of positive 'seft-talk' to teach little (and not so) ones.

Receiving feedback that is positive in wording, that provides the recipient with a comparison of how their performance has improved and lets them know you have paid attention to their efforts is highly valuable to little learners.

"That was the highest jump I have seen you do.."
"I noticed you remembered what I told you before your attempt"
"I can see you were trying your best.."
"That was a good/a better/your best attempt"

Happy chanting.

Musical Freeze!

If you have a gathering of little-ones this weekend the 'Freeze' game would be a fun activity to get everyone running around and working off the candy in their systems. You will need some music and each child will need their own bubble space to begin.

Musical Freeze - play some music and encourage the kiddos to dance. When the music stops - Freeze immediately and hold it.

Award prizes - candy/stickers/erasers etc. Declare out loud to group what the winner did well. This gives feedback to the rest of the group and cues the learner to how to improve their performance for the next round.

Happy Halloween for those who celebrate it!

Mirror Mirror

Children love to observe themselves in the mirror.....a whole lot of understandings and connections begin and continue to take place when then do.

Recently, we were at a shopping venue and saw our image on the security camera, and it was noted by the Preschooler that the image was "...not the same side".

So we have been playing 'Mirror Mirror' today to capitalize on the episode. It is a fun game and a good opportunity to talk about opposites, object, image, left and right.

Ask your Preschooler to pretend they are looking into the mirror - they are the object, you are the image and you copy their actions.

Swap over. When it is your turn model good posture and slow but interesting movements that increases their repertoire of actions. Enlist other Preschoolers to play with yours.

Bricoleurs in the house

My Preschooler has fully embraced the 'Bricolage' philosophy from her kindergarten.

We spent the afternoon playing the game she made up today.

Pretty simple really -  get the ball into the tub with the stick. Hit it as many times as you need.
Me: 6 hits to get it in
Preschooler: 3

The beauty in this was the thinking that went into this activity and how it evolved as she wandered around the backyard picking up and contemplating the usefulness of each item. When I was initially enlisted to play, it  was called 'The Running Game'.

How hard was it to allow for the free, but controlled, flow of ideas? Very.

Lucky to 'Throw like a girl'

Last night on National Television, an Anti-war activist threw his shoes at an ex-Prime Minister of Australia. He apparently missed by quite a bit but did cause some havoc and created a lot of attention.

He later admitted that he did not have a good throw and that he was mocked by people who knew him for 'throwing like a girl'. When interviewed he said "Quite a few people have said I throw like a girl, which I think is a bit of an insult because I’ve seen some pretty good shots from women".

Yes..it is an insult. Whatever point made with that stunt was at the expense of many girls.

Maybe he could do with some lessons from some girls I know.

Fast, Faster, Fastest

The ability to vary the intensity of effort is important - not only in a sporting setting but also as we go about our daily tasks and when at play.

Preschoolers can begin to use the language to convey, discuss and experience what it feels like to work at varying efforts.

We live quite close to an athletics track - modified for school children - and we use it for running whenever we can. At the finish line at the end of the straight, I often ask my Preschooler if she could have gone any faster...and her response is often "...yes..." 

I use opportunities like this to discuss 'effort' - how hard one works. These opportunities pop up often...when playing with balls, pushing the wagon around the backyard...jumping on the spot..etc

In many sports, games and activities being able to vary and accurately apply the correct and appropriate intensity to an action is essential.

Do This, Don't do That!

A Game for listening and following directions.

Face your Preschooler(s). The idea is for them to follow your lead and copy your actions...ie. touch your elbows, shoulders, hands in the air etc and as you are doing these actions, say "Do this".

But they are not to do the actions that accompany the words "Do That". So it would go like this: "Do This" (touch your nose), "Do This" (touch your shoulders), "Do This" (touch your elbows), "Do This" (touch your hips), "Do This"(touch your ears), "Do That - (touch your head)..at which point the Preschooler should not move and have their hands still on their ears.

Initially, use a comfortable pace and increase it accordingly. Good for groups of children of various ages.

As for all games, quit - preferably - before any signs of the little-ones being 'over' the game...keep it fun to return to play another day.

Musical Hoops

Today we had several little ones running around the backyard with Hula Hoops whilst mums waited patiently to reacquainted themselves with the skill.

I was reminded of a game I play in a Physical Education class setting - but it would work as a party game. As yet, I have not played it in a social setting but I am pretty sure it would be a winner.

Musical Hoops - it is a non elimination game and involves hoops, children, and music or a musical instrument. Begin with a ratio of 3 students to every hoop. When the music begins, the children run, skip, gallop. When the music stops, they are to stop also and move into a hoop. It is a cooperation game so as many as possible is permitted in the hoop. Each time the music stops - remove a hoop and the game becomes a little more interesting as the group works as a whole to squeeze many people into the diminishing number of hoops.

Every time I play this game, I am uplifted - as are the students - by the spirit of cooperation and goodwill in the room.

There is only one rule - no body part is on floor outside the hoop...everything else is accepted. Try it out on adults.

Hula Hoop fun #2

With the weather being so enticing we have been spending late afternoons out in the backyard - our Preschooler gets really involved in her role playing, today it was making chocolate - aka mud - smoothies and our Toddler limps around with his wagon (still with a toddler fracture) and me working in the garden.

The hula hoops hang at the ready on the back porch and I have found them to be a very fun way to break up the tedious back breaking work of weeding on my hands and knees.

I can not remember learning how to hula hoop...so I performed a search for instructions that covered what I know about this skill. Why reinvent the wheel?

• Hold the hoop at the waist with one hand on either side of it.
• Position feet slightly wider than hip width apart.
• Move one foot a bit in front of the other.
• Move the hoop so that it is touching one hip.
• Spin the hoop and let go to set it spinning around the middle of the body.
• Shift weight from one foot to the other, making hips rock from side to side.
• Coordinate movements so that the hip bumps the hoop as it rotates.
• Persistence

Point number 8 is my contribution. I must say that at this early stage of learning this skill, it almost seems an impossible task. But as I told my little one today...we are not born knowing how to do everything. We all have to learn how to do things...small steps first, and then a lot of practice.

The above is the basic method but the hoops can be rotated over the wrists, arms, legs, thighs, and shoulders. Once the basic movement is mastered it is possible to move the hoop up and down the body without stopping the rotation.




"...try, have a go, try again, keep trying, don't stop trying, take a break and go back to it.."

Hula Hoop fun

 

I have hula hoops of various sizes at home and have generally used them as targets on the ground or tied to the fence. Yesterday however, I was reminded of using them for its intended purpose -  hula hooping around the waist.

When I was younger, I could hula hoop for long periods but today, I found it quite tricky to keep the momentum going. Still, it was impressive to my Preschooler

Of course, she wanted to learn. We began by using the hula hoop on the arm...much more success that way. It gave her the opportunity to feel the force of the hoop traveling in the opposite direction to the arm - scaffolding the experience.

Lots of fun...I had to stop myself from taking over. Had so much fun, I did not get a chance to pick up the camera.  

Have on hand various sizes of hoops to suit the hooper.

Happy hooping!

Review: other blogs

I really like the content of this blog - the current topics being discussed, the ideas and the information offered are all very interesting and useful.

I have many other blogs and sites I refer to - and would like to begin sharing them here. Look for it on the right hand side column.

The Body Smart blog

I hope you like it too.

Running

Last Sunday I took the little ones to cheer their dadda towards the finish line in the Melbourne Marathon.
We were surrounded by lots of people who were running or supporters of running - and it was fantastic to be right in the thick of it at the MCG. People of all ages, shapes and sizes were involved in running various distances - all having a go and challenging themselves to just complete the distance or better their best times.

It was very inspiring. ".....Wow mumma...lots of people like to run!...."

While we were looking out for dadda to enter the stadium, we obeserved with great interest the running styles on display. It is not surprising that the early finishers in the Marathon had very efficient running styles - even right at the end when their energy levels were depleted.

Not everyone will aspire to be marathoners, but everyone should be able to experience the simple pure joy of running - and being able to run efficiently adds to that enjoyment whether by reducing injuries and/or running longer distances or shorter times.

Unlike walking, developing an efficient running style is no accident.

Look for and encourage the following in Preschoolers:
1. Eyes focused forward and head is steady
2. Elbows and knees are close to right angles
3. Arms swinging forward and backwards in opposition and parallel
4. High knee lifts at each running step
5. Soft shoulders

Well done, dadda!

Angry Cats...

We usually do a bit of dancing in the mornings - it is a great way to get the heart rate up for little ones and adults alike. Any music with a good beat will do - sometimes it is children's music but most times it is adult music.

I find it is a good way to lift the tone of the day and it serves as a great way to warm-up before we do physical activity.

But since we have been building upon our strength and flexibility with Tuck sits etc...I have introduced the cats to our warm ups.

There is 'Scaredy Cat'. Arch the back so the belly is towards the floor. Arms and legs are parallel (straight up and down) and perpendicular (makes a strong corner) to the floor. Look up towards the ceiling and roar like an scary lion. Hold for a long roar. Repeat a handful of times.

There is 'Angry Cat'. Arch the back up high - imagine there is a string pulling the curve of the back up high towards the ceiling (like the string that Woody from Toy Story has on his back). Put the chin-to-chest, arms/legs parallel and perpendicular to the floor. Hold for a long angry hiss. Repeat a handful of times.

And then there is 'Copy Cat'. Introducing our very much loved, newest member of the gymnastics team. Not a bad effort for someone with a toddler fracture!!!

There is always lots of clapping for Copy Cats.

Rock and Roll in Tuck sits

We have been practicing Tuck sits and V Sits. The natural progression is to rock back and forth gently using the toes to push off. Allow this to happen and build on this rocking action but encourage strong arms around the legs.

After several sessions of this, enough momentum can be built up which leads to rolling onto the back. With arms held tight around the legs, the back is nicely curved which allows for rocking forward after rolling backwards.

Build up the momentum first.

Give it a try yourself. It is a lot of fun.

Walking Stilts

I love these walking stilts. I wish they would take my weight as I would love to use them.

It has taken a while for her to be comfortable on them. I wish I had presented this to her first madebyjoel - toddler-stilts

But as my Preschooler gained confidence balancing on them, I have become increasingly creative with path I create for her. I trace/draw various figures/lines on the driveway or mat. Figure of eights, zig zag lines, wavy lines etc.

We try sideways, backwards, small steps, large steps, cross over/grapevine etc...

Lots of quiet (concentrating) fun - which gives me about 30 minutes or so to carry out essential tasks like cook dinner/play with my toddler/tackle the washing?

These stilts are made for walking..

Tuck sit and V sit

We have been very inspired here by the gymnastics, the diving and the athletics from the Commonwealth Games. It is such delight to see the positive impression it is making on our Preschooler.
While we watch the broadcast, we discuss the names of the skills being displayed and talk about how the athlete would have started to learn how to do it.

After watching some gymnastics today, we did some very basic static balances.....just to capitalize on the momentum. Strike while the iron is hot!

Doing Tuck sits and V sits at home strengthens and conditions the muscles in the body.

Tuck Sit; Bring knees to chest, and balance on sitting bones. Should be able to rock back and forth.

V Sit; sit with straight back and legs, form the letter V by engaging the stomach muscles.

I also talk about the persistence and the commitment required to be able to perform at an elite level.

There will be more toddler/preschool gymnastics over the next few days.

Mum and Dad's exercise

One thing we enjoy greatly when we travel is to explore the great outdoors.

Hiking trails, lakes, forests, rivers, etc offer great opportunities for the whole family to enjoy time together and for mum and dad to get some exercise.

Regardless of how and what exercise is performed.......the benefits of just seeing parents being active should not be underestimated.

Good luck to Dadda for his 7th Marathon this Sunday!