The holder of a Bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation from Clemson University and a master’s from the University of Maryland in Kinesiology, Ms. Martha Swirzinski has more than 15 years of experience working in the field of movement with children. She is also a certified personal fitness trainer. She currently lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with her husband and two daughters.
“More and more research is being developed about the rise of obesity in children,” notes Ms. Swirzinski, who teaches movement education in a local pre-school and offers teacher training workshops and customized consultations. At the same time, numerous studies continue to link increased brain function and movement, she explains. “Being active grows new brain cells!”
It is along this vein that Ms. Swirzinski has published three children’s books focused on movement. Using entertaining rhymes and charming pictures, these developmentally based books offer fun and creative ways for children to move while also providing mind stimulating activities on each page. Here's an excerpt from Leap...Laugh...Plop.
Physical fitness is the key to success.
Moving and stretching keep you at your best.
So get up and move, stretch and play.
Your body and brain will thank you all day.
By following the suggested activities, children can engage in 30-60 minutes of their recommended structured daily movement, as well as enhancing other mind/body skills. Designed to be enjoyed again and again, the pages of these books are filled with laughter, learning, movement and more.
Leap...Laugh...Plop concentrates on locomotor movements. Here's another excerpt.
Jumping is something you do with two feet.
You bend your knees and push up high from the street.
Ms. Swirzinski also challenges kids to think. Take a look at this excerpt.
Walk up high, now down low.
How about fast. How about slow.
Name some animals that walk high. How about low?
Can you pretend to be those animals?
Tell me your favorite animal and why.
Martha’s books are:
Leap…Laugh…Plop works on all of the locomotor skills
Guess…Giggle…Wiggle… has the children doing creative movement
Kick…Catch…Buzzzz.. addresses the manipulative skills
Her website is WWW.WholeChildPublishing.com
Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com
