Preschoolers in Child Care Centers Not Active Enough by Rae Pica

According to a new study from researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, only 13.7% of child care centers in North Carolina offered 120 minutes of active playtime during the school day. The good news is that in 82% of the centers, children were not sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time and about 56 percent of centers had a written policy on physical activity.

Another study published by the same group found that only nine studies, all conducted since 2003, have tested ways to help young children in child care centers become more physically active.

The study recommended that researchers look at all areas of the child care environment, not just the amount of time children are provided for play. For example, other areas that relate to physical activity at preschools include the physical environment (such as fixed and portable play equipment), sedentary environment (such as television viewing time and the presence of TVs and computers in classroom), staff training and behaviors (such as staff joining in active play and providing verbal prompts to increase active play) and a written physical activity policy.

To this I would add: Look at how transitions can be used to increase physical activity levels, and incorporate movement into the curriculum!

Rae Pica is a movement specialist. For more information go to her website:
http://www.movingandlearning.com/

BOOK SUGGESTIONS:

“Making Math Meaningful” by Nettie Fabrie, Wim Gottenbos, and Jamie York. A Scource Book for Teaching Math in Grades One through Five

“String, Straightedge and Shadow” by Julia E. Diggins. Using only three simple tools - the string, the straightedge, and the shadow - men discovered the basic principles and constructions of elementary geometry more than two thousand years ago. This book reveals how these discoveries were made and shows how they were related to the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece.

“Moving through all Seven Days” by Kathy Stemke

“Jump into Math” by Rae Pica. The activities in each chapter are organized by level of difficulty, and each one incorporates fun, exciting math experiences with movement.

“Learn to Count 1-10 with Professor Hoot” author, artist: Eugene Ruble.

“Shaping up the Year” author: Tracey M. Cox, artist: Samantha Bell. Uniquely illustrated with cut out art. Teaches shapes, colors, and counting with activity pages, too.

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

MEET MARTHA SWIRZINSKI

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

MOVEMENT LESSONS! A-E

The letter A. A is for ankle, arm, aerobics, and maybe even your name. Have the kids hold their ankles and move around the room or do an arobics routine.

The letter B. B is for balls, balance, and balloons galore. Use a large peach basket and remove the bottom for a goal. Get the balloon in the basket and get 2 points. practice counting by 2's. Balance on one foot and try to make a basket.

The letter C. C is for clowning around, learning to clap, crawl, catch, and other movements that matter, while learning your letters. Create a circus with clowns, scarf juggling, and an obstacle course.

The letter D. Dancing the day away, what an idea, and learning our ABCs along the way. Play different types of music to explore many types of movements. Dribble, duck, and drop—it’s hard to stop. Dribble a ball around a series of cones.

The letter E. We see with our eyes and hear with our ears. Exercise stations and Elephant Swing are lots of fun, and the egg relay lets us run. Use plastic easter eggs for relay races. (carry the egg in a plastic spoon, hold the egg under your chin or between your knees, or blow the egg along the floor as you walk on all fours)

COME BACK FOR THE REST OF THE ALPHABET!!

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

Movement Activities for Colors

COLOR BOWLING
Put a colored square on the front of several plastic soda bottles. (Rainbow) Call a color. The student rolls the ball and tries to knock the correct bottle over.

COLOR TOSS
Toss a beanbag into a box with a colored circle on the front.

COLOR JUMP
Make vinyl color shapes and tape them to the floor. Children jump from color to color and identify the color. Or you could just make masking tape squares with a small piece of colored construction paper in each. VARIATION: Give each child a command such as: “Mary, put both hands on the red square.” “Keesha, run around the blue square.”

COLOR BUTTON SORT
Print a color name on each paper cup. Have the children put red buttons in the red cup, etc. The children can count each color when they are done sorting.

COLOR COMBO
Write red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and orange on a paper. Show them how to combine the primary colors to make the secondary colors. (Red over blue makes purple) Using red, yellow, and blue colored tissue paper circles have the children glue the correct color under each word.

COLOR CARDS
Write the color names on one side of an index card and a construction paper triangle on the other side. After reading the color name, the children can flip the card over to see if they are correct.

PHOTO CUBE COLORS
Put a color and action command in each side of a photo cube. Example action command: 5 jumping jacks, or hop on one foot. Children take turns tossing the cube. If they can identify the color they get to follow the command.

STINKY CHEESE COLORS
Place color shapes into a paper bag. Also place a few triangles of construction paper cheese wedges. Children take turns picking a color out of the bag to identify. If they pick cheese, they hold their nose and say, “Pew, stinky cheese.”


Websies for Colors:

http://www.littlegraffes.com/ colors.html

http://www.kidnkaboodle.net/colors.html

http://www.kinderpond.com/colorunit.html

http://www.hummingbirded.com/lessonplan-colors.html


Color Songs and Poems:

http://www.reagankinderbears.com/colorsongs.htm

http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems20.html


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

Poem:Move Through One Day!

I'm very excited to announce that Action Alley Education is close to publishing, "Moving Through All Seven Days." This book inspires movement as children learn about the days of the week. The lyrical rhymes also teach them how to spell each day! The activities at the end of the book are designed to reinforce the concepts as well as give impetus to movement exploration.

The illustration above is from the new book. Tony Glisson is the talented illustrator who cleverly depicts the fun we have on Tuesday.

The following rhyme which takes you through one day is designed to encourage movement while children learn the concept of A.M., P.M., and time. It's entitled, "Move Through One Day."

6 A.M. I roll out of bed.

7 A.M. I am always fed.

8 A.M. I wash my own face.

9 A.M. I run in a race.

10 A.M. I go out to play.

11 A.M. I gallop away.

12 A.M. I make my own lunch.

1 P.M. I eat a whole bunch.

2 P.M. I clean with my Mom.

3 P.M. I run with friend, Tom.

4 P.M. I hit a home run.

5 P.M. I laugh and have fun.

6 P.M. I sit and I cook.

7 P.M. I read a good book.

8 P.M. I am fast asleep.

9 P.M. I dream really deep.

Set boundaries in your classroom, use the bubble principle, and let the children have fun acting out this perfect day. To prevent contact between children, tell each child that they are in a bubble. If anyone gets too close the bubble will burst.

You can also use this rhyme as a book or a class project. Have the children draw illustrations and a clock for each time. Put it on the bulletin board or bind it into a book.

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http://kathystemke.weebly.com

ENCOURAGE MUSIC AND MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES WITH YOUR CHILDREN!

All of us have enjoyed dancing around the living room to music when no was looking. These are uninhibited moments in response to music. In fact, moving to the beat of the music is an innate quality found in all human beings. Infants and toddlers bounce to the music without any instruction at all. We need to provide children with a safe environment to explore and learn all they can about how their bodies can move to music.

MUSIC APPRECIATION AND EXPRESSION

Improvising movement to music is a natural way for children to express themselves. This release of emotional tension can help to calm children and improve their mood. Depending on the music, it can invigorate or soothe the emotions. Exposing children to a wide variety of music at an early age will increase their appreciation of music.

Because classical music generally evokes strong emotions you could use Beethoven’s “5th Symphony” to inspire anger, or Rimsky-Korsakov’s, “The Flight of the Bubble Bee” to inspire excitement.

Making and using simple instruments in exploration of various musical styles will add to the experience. For instance, a homemade drum will add to the fun when moving to Native American music.

CREATIVITY

Giving children the opportunity to explore and expand their movement vocabulary will increase their creativity. These activities will bring out quick and slow, heavy and light, strong and gentle, as well as tense and relaxed movements. As kids experience different combinations of movement and a variety of themes, their own movement ideas will emerge.

In the “Fastland/Slowland” activity one side of the room is for quick movements and the other side of the room is for slow movements. Children cross over to the other side when they hear a signal like a drum beat or a whistle.

“Abracadabra” is an activity that teaches the difference between heavy and light movements. Kids push an imaginary refrigerator. When you say, “Abracadabra” the refrigerator is suddenly on wheels, or the children stomp through the woods like Tyrannosaurus Rex then turn into a ballet dancer.

FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Movement exploration helps develop both fine and gross motor skills. “Move this Way” is an activity that inspires practice in locomotor skills. Prepare a set of large word cards with one action word on each card like walk, skip, gallop, slide, crawl, roll, tiptoe, hop, jump and stomp. Kids move around the room doing the skill on the card in front of them. When they hear a signal they stop at a different card and when signaled again they do the new skill.

In “Paper Plate Balancing” each child balances a plate on part of the body as they move around the room. When it falls off, they balance it on another part of the body.

To see the rest of this article go to: http://www.helium.com/items/1336328-movement-exploration-music-children-activities-creativity-cognitive-skills-socialization

This article can only serve as an introduction to this enormous topic. Sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter on the right sidebar for more in-depth analysis of movement and music activities. It is my hope that after experiencing some of these activities with your children you will be inspired to create your own activities. The possibilities are endless, so have fun.

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MOVEMENT AND ACTION LEARNING

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************I'm very excited to announce that Action Alley Education is close to publishing, "Moving Through All Seven Days." This book inspires movement as children learn about the days of the week. The lyrical rhymes also teach them how to spell each day! The activities at the end of the book are designed to reinforce the concepts as well as give impetus to movement exploration.

The illustrations above are from the new book. Tony Glisson is the talented illustrator who cleverly depicts the fun we have moving through the days of the week.

RAE PICA PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SPECIALIST

Rae Pica has been a children’s physical activity specialist for 27 years. A former adjunct instructor with the University of New Hampshire, she is the author of 17 books, including the text Experiences in Movement, the award-winning Great Games for Young Children and Jump into Literacy, and A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity, and Free Time Create a Successful Child, written for the parents of children birth to eight. Rae is known for her lively and informative workshop and keynote presentations and has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, Centers for Disease Control, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues, Gymboree, and state health departments throughout the country. Rae also served on the task force of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) that created national guidelines for early childhood physical activity. The following article gives 10 reasons why parents and teachers should incorporate movement into the learning process.

Check out her website at http://www.movingandlearning.com/

GREAT ARTICLE BY RAE PICA
10 REASONS TO PROMOTE EMERGENT LITERACY THROUGH MOVEMENT AND ACTIVE LEARNING

Early childhood professionals know the many benefits of physical activity and play. They understand that young children are experiential learners, that they need to move, and they move to learn.
Today there is a clamor for more accountability and testing, although children have not changed. They still need to experience concepts using their whole bodies to understand the concepts completely, including literacy and language arts concepts.
Following are 10 reasons why you should use movement and active learning to promote emergent literacy.

1. Children learn best through active involvement. Prepositions, for example, are very much a part of physical experiences. As children move over, under, around, through, beside, and near objects (under the monkey bars, through the tunnel, over the balance beam), these words take on greater meaning and significance.

2. Spatial orientation is necessary for letter identification and the orientation of symbols on a page. The only difference between a small "d" and a small "b," for example, is the direction in which the curvy line faces at the bottom of the straight line. When children form the straight and curving lines of letters by using their bodies and body parts, rather than simply attempting to copy them from a chart on the wall, this experience enhances their sense of directionality and spatial orientation. When children move within a room or within a space from left-to-right or top-to-bottom, they become comfortable with these important directions.

3. Actively experiencing the rhythm of words and sentences helps children find the rhythm necessary for reading and writing. Whether children are clapping or tapping out the beat of a fingerplay or moving to the cadence of a poem, they hear and feel the rhythm of words.

4. When children demonstrate the meaning of words physically, their understanding of the words is immediate and long-lasting. For instance, when children depict such action words as stomp, pounce, stalk, or slither—or such descriptive words as smooth, strong, gentle, or enormous —the words have much more relevance than they would as part of a vocabulary or spelling list.

5. Adverbs and adjectives become much more than abstract concepts. When children perform a "slow walk" or "skip lightly," they learn the meaning in both their bodies and their minds.

6. Playing together provides opportunities for children to speak and listen to one another! When children invent games and rules for games, they are using and expanding their vocabularies and learning important lessons in communication. Talking about experiences, depicting them through actions, and then discussing the actions contribute to language development by requiring children to make essential connections among their cognitive, social/emotional, and physical domains. We know that when young children learn something in one domain, it has a positive impact on the others.

7. Stringing actions together to form sequences is similar to linking words to form sentences (and eventually paragraphs). In other words, whether children are making up their own dances or stories, they must choose components that flow naturally. Both require breathing room (a pause in the action, or a comma) and, finally, an ending (a full stop, or a period).

8. When children act out the words of a poem, the plot of a story, or the lyrics of a song, they must ponder the meanings of the words. And because those words are important to them--and such activities are fun--the poems, stories, and songs take on greater relevance. The children are also using multiple senses, which means more is learned and retained.

9. Movement activities provide opportunities to cross the body's midline. Doing so requires the left and right hemispheres of the brain to communicate across the corpus callosum. This integration of the brain's hemispheres is essential to the ability to read and write.

10. Confucius said it best: "What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I know." When young children experience emergent literacy concepts with their bodies, they are moving in leaps and bounds toward becoming capable listeners, speakers, readers, and writers!
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http://kathystemke.weebly.com

Action Harvest Poems and Songs!

PUMPKIN, PUMPKIN

Pumpkin, pumpkin, on the wall, (reach arms up high on tip toes)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, tip and fall. (sit on the floor)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, roll and rock, (rock side to side)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, down the block! (lay flat, log roll)

WATCH ME GROW (tune: Mary had a little lamb)

We are pumpkins, watch us grow, (squat/ slowly rise up, arms out)
watch us grow, (jump) watch us grow. (jump)
We are pumpkins, watch us grow, (squat/ slowly rise up, arms out)
Straight up don’t you know. (squat and jump up high then sit)

PUMPKIN POEM

One day I found a pumpkin seed. (Pick a seed up off the ground)
I planted it, and pulled the weeds. (Dig, plant, pull weeds)
It sprouted roots, and grew a vine.(Move your arms like sprouting roots)
A pumpkin grew; I called it mine. (Cross your heart and sway)
The pumpkin was quite round and fat.(Open your arms and rock on feet)
The vine, it crept just like a cat. (Walk on hands and feet)

PUMPKIN SONG (tune: I'm a little teapot)

I'm a little pumpkin, short and round.
Here is my big stem, next to the ground.
When it’s time to pick me, don’t you doubt!
Just cut me open, and scoop me out!

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DAYS OF THE WEEK SONG!

DAYS OF THE WEEK BOOK IS COMING SOON!
It includes movement activities to learn how to spell the days of the week, worksheets, matching activities, and much more!


7 DAYS A WEEK (Sung to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
As they are singing the children can sit in a pike position on the floor and row with their arms.

ACTION CLOCK POEM!

MY ACTION ACTIVITY "CLOCK BOOK" IS COMING SOON!

I’m in the clock club, I’m OK. (Arms overhead make a circle)
I tick all night, and tick all day. (Marching, hands on hips)


I have two hands, and have a ball, (Marching, two hands out)
Because I have no arms at all. (Marching, hands behind back)


My minute hand, moves with such power, (Standing, circle arm quickly)
with sixty minutes in every hour. (Standing, circle arm quickly)


My hour hand just isn't as fast, (Standing, circle arm slowly)
In a big race, it comes in last. (Standing, circle arm slowly)


Quarter past, half past, in there place (Point arm to the left, then down)
Quarter to, o'clock on the face. (arm right, then up)


Twenty-four hours makes just one day, (Arms overhead make a circle)
There’s always time for us to play! (jump in place)

Music, Movement, Phonics, Math

Music and movement are essential ingredients in any preschool classroom. Studies have shown that children retain more information when they use more of their senses in learning. By adding music and movement to the learning process children become more engaged, have more fun, and retain much more.

MUSIC APPRECIATION AND EXPLORATION

Staple a scarf onto a wooden dowel to create a flag. Create clear boundaries and rules for this movement exploration activity to keep your classroom safe. I like to tell each student that there is a bubble around him or her that cannot be broken. Anyone who breaks someone's bubble will have to take a rest. Play slow classical music and watch the graceful fluttering of the flags. Change to fast marching music and watch the sharp percussive movements emerge.

SMALL GROUP FLAG ROUTINES

After exploring some movements that can be done with a flag, divide the class into small groups and ask them to create a short routine. If space is a problem, this activity can be done outside and then one group at a time can do their routine in the classroom. A typical routine might be:
8 counts of giant arm circles
8 walks in a circle with the flag held out to the side
8 counts of circles overhead (helicopter)
8 counts of flags high, flags low

MUSICAL CONSONANTS IN ACTION
Using the tune, "You're Happy and You Know It," practice consonant sounds with movement.

If you’re happy and you know it,
Bounce around "b" "b"
If you're happy and you know it,
Bounce around “b” “b”
If you're happy and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it
If you're happy and you know it,
Bounce around “b” “b”.

Creep along “c” “c”...
Dance with me “d” “d”...
Flap your arms “f” “f”...
Gallop now “g” “g”...
Hop along “f” “f”...
Jump so high “j” “j”...
Kick the air “k” “k”...
Laugh out loud “l” “l”...
March in place “m” “m”...
Nod your head “n” “n”...
Pull a rope “p” “p”...
Run in place “r” “r”...
Slide with me “s” “s”...
Tap your feet “t” “t”...
Vacuum now “v” “v”...
Walk around “w” “w”...
Yawn right now “y” “y”...
Zip your coat “z” “z”...

MATH SHAPES SONG

With masking tape, make a giant circle, square, triangle, and rectangle on the floor. As the kids sing the "Shape Song" a small group jumps inside the shape they're singing about. Everyone can draw the shape with his or her finger in the air. Make sure all the children get a chance to jump inside the shapes.

Tune: "Farmer in the Dell"

A circle's like a ball,
A circle's like a ball,
Round and round
It never stops.
A circle's like a ball!

A square is like a box,
A square is like a box,
It has four sides,
They are the same.
A square is like a box!

A triangle has 3 sides,
A triangle has 3 sides,
Up the mountain,
Down, and back.
A triangle has 3 sides!

A rectangle has 4 sides,
A rectangle has 4 sides,
Two are long, and
Two are short.
A rectangle has 4 sides!

The more music and movement you can incorporate into preschool activities the more fun and success the children will have in learning and retaining the material that they are taught.

Kathy Stemke on Education Tipster

Kathy Stemke on Helium
Kathy Stemke on Associated Content
Kathy Stemke’s Website

SKIP COUNT BY 3!

A great way to help kids learn their 3 times table is to teach them skip counting by 3's. See how fast they learn skip counting by 3's when you teach them this simple rhyme. You may even want to create a little dance to go with the rhyme. Remember, the more senses a child uses to learn something, the more he will be able to retain.


Skip, skip, skip, count by 3.
Skip, skip, skip, count with me!

3, 6, and then there’s 9.
Now repeat, that’s just fine!

12, 15, then 18.
Don’t be mean, count 18.

21, 24, 27.
Count straight up, up to heaven.

30, 33, 36.
Just for kicks, get in the mix.

Skip, skip, skip, count by 3.
Skip, skip, skip, count with me!

Help your Preschooler Learn Large Motor Skills

Glitter Graphics

Have you ever watched a group of children playing and noticed that some of them were uncoordinated and clumsy? These children need to develop their gross motor skills. Gross motor skills include: balance (the ability to maintain equilibrium), body awareness (for improved posture and control), laterality (awareness and coordination of the left and right sides of the body), spatial awareness (awareness of the body position in space and in relation to other objects in space), and major muscle coordination. These skills are needed for athletic activities and more importantly, physical coordination in their daily activities.

Physical activity should be a positive and fun experience for kids. Developing positive attitudes about movement at an early age is essential to making a commitment to an active lifestyle. Mastering some fundamental large motor skills means children are able to participate in a wider range of activities.

Because no two children are alike, some activities need to be modified to fit your individual child. Younger children have shorter attention spans and need more variety to maintain interest. Kids also need to be given the time to explore solutions to movement problems in free play situations and in independent creative settings. Activities should be fun, non competitive and success oriented. Make sure you keep the sctivity below their frustration level, or the point where the child has difficulty succeeding. Kids should be given adequate instruction and plenty of time to practice. Skills should be taught in a sequential manner. Kids need to feel safe while learning so there should be boundaries, rules and routines that they can follow. And most importantly, remember to give them tons of praise.

The three main types of skills that should be covered are stability skills (bending, balancing, stretching, swinging, twisting, dodging), locomotor skills (walking, running, jumping, hopping, leaping, skipping, galloping, climbing, rolling, creeping, crawling), and manipulative skills (throwing, catching, rolling, bouncing, kicking, striking, trapping). The suggested activities are endless. Here are some aimed for 3-5 year olds.

1. Play with a large ball. Kick the ball with one foot, and then the other. Throw and catch the ball, too. If your child has trouble catching a ball, you can slow down the process by using a chiffon scarf. The scarf moves slowly and has lots of surface area to grab.
2. Have a set of props that your child can use for exploration. Examples: scarves, hoops, sticks, flags, bean bags.
3. Play "Simon says," so your child will have to copy your movements, and improve his
listening skills. In "Mirror images" you face each other and mimic the leader's actions. Remember to go slow enough for your child to keep up. These activities are good for developing laterality and spatial awareness.
4. Play the balance game. Ask your child to count how long they can balance on one foot. Use a variety of balances holding your foot in several positions.
5. Ask your child to gallop like a horse or slide like a baseball player.
6. Log rolls or forward rolls are good for body rotation skills.
7. Tag is great for practicing sprinting, stopping, and changing direction quickly.
8. Kids can develop their skills in climbing and hanging by using playground equipment. This type of environment fosters development in spatial awareness, body tension and grip strength.
9. Learn action songs. Tell your child to act out animal moves: slither like a snake, waddle like a duck, or jump like a kangaroo. You can combine phonics and action with the "Animal Action Phonics Rhymes" found posted on this blog.
10. Set up obstacle courses with tunnels to crawl through, hoops to jump in, and inclines to
roll down.

Now is the time to give your child the right environment and opportunities to develop their large motor skills. Each time your child solves a movement problem it is recorded in his muscle memory. Gross motor memory is vital at this stage as it allows a child to recall the muscular steps used in the past for successful performance. Numerous muscle groups must be rapidly engaged, so that the right muscles are accomplishing the necessary steps at the right time. For some kids these processes will be nearly instinctive and for others continual training will be required. Have fun and enjoy this special time with your preschooler.

Fun with the Letter Qq !

Glitter Graphics

Mother Quail and her baby quails

Choose one child to be the mother quail and let the others be her babies. With everyone singing the quail song, the mother walks around the room and each time she tags someone they get in line behind her making a long chain.
(Tune: Down by the Station)
Out in the forest
Early in the morning,
See the mother Quail
Walking to and fro.
See a baby quail
Get in line behind her.
Quickly, quickly, off they go!

Move with Q

Set some boundaries with cones or lines for a movement exploration exercise. Remind the children that each person is surrounded by an imaginary bubble that can break if anyone gets to near. It's fun to use a drum or whistle that means everyone must freeze like a statue.

Move QUICKLY around the room.
QUIETLY, now tip toe QUIETLY.
Chop the stone in your QUARRY. Work hard in the QUARRY.
Walk like a proud QUEEN with your head up high.
Jump like a QUARTER that's being tossed.
QUIVER or shake like a leaf blown by the wind.
QUACK around the room.

Q PUZZLE HUNT

Each child colors and cuts out a Q object like a quail, queen, or quill. Everyone glues their object onto a large poster board and then it is laminated. Make a giant Qq puzzle by cutting out 20 large puzzle pieces. Hide the pieces around the room. Have the children find the parts and place them together to solve the puzzle.

QUARTER RUBBINGS

Make a large Qq or quarter on a poster board. This is a good time to introduce or review the quarter. The quarter (also called a quarter dollar) is worth 25 cents or 25 pennies. Have one or more children count out 25 pennies. One quarter can be written 25¢ or $0.25. The front of the quarter pictures a left-facing profile of George Washington, the first President of the United States of America.

The front reads, "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and the year the coin was minted or made. The small initial by Washington is the mint-mark, showing the location that produced the coin (D means Denver, Colorado, S means San Francisco, California, and P means Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).

The back of the quarter pictures the presidential coat of arms (an eagle with outstretched wings). The back reads, "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," and "QUARTER DOLLAR." E PLURIBUS UNUM is Latin and means one out of many.

Let the children make crayon rubbings of the quarter using different color crayons. The children then cut out the rubbings and glue them to the giant poster board. This, too, could be used as a puzzle.

MORE PHONICS FUN

The more proficient your child gets at phonics the easier it will be to combine sounds into words. If you're homeschooling or reinforcing the phonics your child is learning in school, the following activities will reinforce the alphabet sounds and get your child ready for reading.

PHONICS SCAVENGER HUNT Place several pictures or objects around the room that represent the sound you are practicing. Don't forget to put a few other sound symbols in the room as well. This will ensure that your child will test the object for the sound before declaring a find.

BEACH BALL PHONICS requires you to section off a ball into many squares with a marker. Each square houses a letter of the alphabet. Toss the ball to your child, who recites the letter name and sound of the letter under their thumb. (S sounds ss, ss, ss)

PHONICS TOSS Paint the letters of the alphabet on a large foam board. Under each letter, cut a hole big enough for a small beanbag to fit through. Being sure not to cover the holes, glue or staple the board to a large cardboard box. Your child tosses a beanbag into one of the holes and says the sound.

SKIP JUMP SOUNDS Using lighter colored vinyl, cut out shapes, put a letter on each one with a marker, and tape them to the floor. Your child can jump from letter to letter, saying each sound as they land.

SEWING LETTERS is a great craft and letter recognition activity. Using poster board, draw and laminate 6"-8" block letters of the alphabet. Cut them out and punch holes around the perimeter of each letter about 1" apart. Using a large needle and yarn, have your child sew around each letter.

PHONICS RELAYS This is fun when there are two or more players. If you have an older sibling play, you can give them a handicap like counting to 5 one thousands before responding. Call out a letter sound and the children run to a chalkboard or dry erase board and print the letter of that sound. When they’re ready, modify this game to words or even short sentences.

WORD CONCENTRATION Make two sets of the common sight words on index cards, and lay them out 5-10 at a time. Have your child try to find a matching pair. It's fun to have a set of color words, number words, animals, and family members.

GIANT SCRABBLE Make large letter tiles 12” squares out of poster board. Laminate them at an office supply place. Give clues like: drinks milk, has whiskers, is soft and cuddly, says meow. The first one to shout out CAT finds the letters C-A-T and makes the word cat. This can be done sitting at a table with letter tiles, but running to use large tiles adds more fun to the activity.

This is one of the most exciting times in your child's life, because they are learning so many new and exciting things. Decorate their room with everything they have made so they can show off to visitors. Have fun, try these phonics and reading activities, and create some of your own. The possibilities are endless.

Alphabet Animal Action Phonics

Many children find it difficult to sit and learn phonics, so give them opportunities for movement! It's commonly believed that when you hear something, 10% of the information is retained. If you see it, hear it and say it, 40% is retained. But, if you also DO it, you retain 70%-100% of the information. Using a multi-sensory approach to teach children phonics and reading enhances their retention and capitalizes on their natural tendency to wiggle. In other words, incorporate movement as a teaching tool for phonics and reading.

ANIMAL ACTION PHONICS BOOK COMING SOON!

It is usually a good idea to introduce one letter sound a week. Learn and ACT OUT the first weeks letter sound S (The sneaky snake slithered up to me. It was a silly sight to see). Practice the rhyme as you do errands. Write the rhyme on a giant poster board and hang it in your child’s room. Flood your child's world with the letter sound of the week by looking for that letter everywhere you go (grocery store, signs, food they eat, books you read to them). Create a short book that emphasizes the new sound by cutting and pasting pictures of S objects. The following rhymes will give children many opportunities for action and fun.

SHORT VOWELS

A Andy the antelope started to clap, when an ant sat on his lap.
E Ellie the elephant swept and swept ate an egg, and then she wept.
I Ichabod inchworm started to twitch, because he had an itch, itch, itch.
O Ozzie the ostrich went hop, hop, hop, and his balloon went pop, pop, pop.
U The Umbrella bird under the sun wanted to run and have some fun.

CONSONANTS

B The baby baboon bought a mug, and gave his buddy a big bad bug.
C The curious cat began to creep closer, closer he did leap.
D The dolphin dives down under a wave, down so deep, his name is Dave.
F The freckled finch flew into the air, funny and fat, he was so fair.
G The grateful goat grew every day, he was so good, and he was so gray.
H The happy hippo loved to eat; he hopped all day in the heat.
J Johnnie the jackal would jump and leap; he never drove a jeep, jeep, jeep.
K Kenny kangaroo kicked his sis, than he gave her a kooky kiss.
L The lazy lizard would laugh and play, upon his log he would lay all day.
M The mild mouse moved with a squeak, to run from me he was so meek.
N The naughty narwhal has a nice spear, but make sure that you never go near.
P Polly pelican's pouch is pretty, it's empty, what a pity.
Q The quiet quail tiptoed quickly; his many quills were so very prickly.
R Roger rabbit ran and stomped, right through the river he romped.
S The sneaky snake slithered up to me; it was a silly sight to see.
T The terrific tiger would turn and skip, and every Tuesday he took a trip.
V The victorious vulture vaulted the best, and vowed to wear a vivid vest.
W Wally the walrus wiggled with a pig, and always wore a wonderful wig.
X The X-ray fish swam like a fox, but he never ever ate his lox.
Y The young yak yawned so very hard, on his yellow yacht in the yard.
Z The zany zebra zoomed like Flipper, but he always stopped to zip his zipper.

LONG VOWELS

A The aging ape is out of shape, because he ate and ate and ate.
E The enormous eagle is so regal, when he fly's with a seagull.
I The idle ibex stands so high, in the icy, icy sky.
O The orange orangutan climbed a rope to see what he could scope.
U The unique unicorn, dressed in blue, was stuck on ugly, ugly glue.

The more proficient your child gets at phonics the easier it will be to combine sounds into words. Be creative and have fun with Action Animal Phonics!