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.

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.

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.

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.

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..

Rock, Bridge, Tree Relay

Every PE teacher has a  few favourite games they revert to. I would like to share one of mine here -albeit modified for my little one and her friends. This game develops fitness, reinforces their understanding of position/direction words, improves teamwork, spatial awareness and coordination . It is also a lot of fun.

The actual game is a relay race - teams of four are spaced along a line. One member of the team is the Runner, one is a Rock, one is a Bridge, and one is the Tree. The runner sprints to and jumps over the Rock, crawls under the bridge and circles the Tree - sprinting in between. Then the members of the team change roles.

This is how I modified it for my Preschooler and her friends.

Practice the positions first; as well as transitioning form Rock to Bridge to Tree. Nominate a Preschooler to be a runner who stands with me at home base, while the other Preschooler is about 5m away in the shape of the Rock.

 On the word "Go", the runner runs to the Rock, jumps over it and runs back to me for a high five.

 

 Meanwhile the Rock turns into a Bridge. Immediately after the high five, the runner sprints to the Bridge, crawls under it and returns to me for another high five.

Meanwhile, the Bridge turns into a Tree. Immediately after the high five, the runner sprints back to the Tree and runs around it before returning home for the final high five.

 Swap roles.

Adjust the running distance to allow for the appropriate amount of time between the home base and the Rock, Bridge, Tree. Take the opportunity to emphasize the position/direction words written above in bold.

There will be huffing and puffing in amidst all the laughter.

Music and Movement...

...go together like a Horse and Carriage. Where would Early Childhood Education be without it?

Children LOVE it, every early childhood educator would have to admit they get a kick out of it, and I am pretty sure parents dig it too.

And there are so many 'music and movement' offerings on the market - some more music than movement. Where to begin?

Here is my recommendation:

This is the blurb:
These field-tested "learning through movement" activities encourage eye-hand, aural-motor, and visual motor coordination. They also develop body image, balance, laterality, directionality, and visual perception. Easy to introduce to your class, the activities do not require partners or constant teacher direction. 

You can hear samples of each track from Perceptual Motor Rhythm Games 
Check out the track Move Like A Machine (Electronic) and Clap and Shake #1 (Ballin' The Jack) with voice cues.

I bet you won't be able to stop grinning and tapping your toes.

Have a listen and drop me a line to tell me what you think - especially if you try it on your little ones.

What about you? Do you have a recommendation you would like to share? Click on the word 'comment' at the end of the post. I would love to hear from you.

Ball Handling 2

Here is something else we like to do here to improve our Ball Handling skills. This is also a great warm up activity and can be adapted to all ages.

Everyone has a ball - (kids) handball size for toddlers to chest size for larger preschoolers.

Do this at the same time so that it can be modeled by the little ones.

1. Seated, legs crossed. Roll the ball on the floor around the body. Use the words Clockwise around the body, then anti-clockwise.

2. Remain seated. Roll the ball on the body, around the waist. Clockwise, then anti-clockwise.

3. Still seated but with legs extended. Roll the ball on the legs all the way out to your feet, then back towards the chest. Roll the ball up to neck, up over the face, over the top of the head and then back down the same way.

4. Stand in 'Star' shape, keep legs in position but use your hands to move the ball on the floor between the legs. Roll from the front to behind legs, reach around to collect the ball, repeat but reach around to the other side.

5. Remain in the same position. Roll the ball on the floor around one leg, then the other. The Ball should make the shape of the number '8'. Repeat in opposite directions.

Provide opportunities for the little ones to make suggestions and include them in the session. Anything that encourages movement of the ball around the body. Take the opportunity to use and explain the correct terminology - words in italics in the above points.

Use time to track progress. Suggest challenges; Can you do this without stopping once started? Can you do this without dropping or slipping?

Certainly this could be done to music or whilst singing a song...but allow for it to be spontaneous.

Intersperse the above with some fun tricks...IE.Try to balance the ball on the head? Balance the ball on the crook of the ankle, Spin the ball on the tip of finger?

After each skill, I like to take a shot at the indoor hoop and the kids get to slam dunk their balls. This is followed by a triumphant lap of the lounge room.


All of the above skills and tricks are done to improve ball handling, finger and hand strength and to increase confidence and competence with the ball.

Don't be too surprised when you catch then practising the above on their own accord.

Obstacle Course :: Phase 1

We found some off-cuts of wood from the side of the road - the size and shape were perfect as stepping stones or little stools.

This became an inspiration for an obstacle course of sorts. Located by the front gates, it is used frequently and makes great use of a corner in the garden.

Plans are to add a walking plank, some form of tunnel and a climbing wall along with more plants. Obstacle courses are great for developing fitness in a fun way. The trick is to get the right balance between being challenging and achievable. The use of time to measure improvement is a good way to track progress.

The obstacle course can be a great opportunity to extend the movement vocabulary. Learning words such as under, over, beside, inside, outside, around, along, between while doing it is a more meaningful experience.