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.

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!

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.