CIRCLE GAMES BY RAE PICA

The following activities are excerpts from Rae Pica's book, Great Games for Young Children.Over 100 Games to Develop Self-Confidence, Problem-Solving Skills, & Cooperation

Rae Pica has been a movement education consultant for 25 years. She is nationally known for her lively workshops and keynote speeches and has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, Gymboree Play & Music Centers, The Centers for Disease Control, and Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues. She lives in New Hampshire.

Circles bring about a sense of community -- of belonging -- that no other formation offers. Whether the children are holding hands or simply sitting side by side, the circle is a symbol of togetherness. It allows them to see and hear everyone else. To remain part of the circle, children must accept the rules and role assigned. Recognition of others and both verbal and nonverbal communication are among the social skills fostered "in the round."

Name Ball. This simple game is a great way for children to get to know one another's names at the start of the school year. Later, it can be used to impart other pertinent information about each child.

Ask the children to stand in a large circle. One child starts by saying his name and then gently passes a small, easy-to-grip ball to the child to either his right or left, who must then say her name as she catches the ball. The process continues around the circle until all of the children have said their names. Then, to help the children more quickly remember each other's name, reverse the process.

Once the children know each other's names, have them call out the name of the person to whom they're tossing the ball.

Movement Mimic. This is similar to the old game of Gossip, where one player begins by whispering something into the ear of the next player, who in turn whispers it to the next player, and so on all the way around the circle. But, here, instead of trying to get the same words all the way around, the children try to replicate the same movement.

Standing, form a circle with the children and begin by choosing an action that each child must take turns imitating until it comes back to you. For instance, you might gently squeeze the hand of the child to your right, and she must do the same to the child on her right, and so on around the circle (i.e., sequential movement).

The Spokes of the Wheel Go 'Round & 'Round. Ask the children if they've seen the spokes on a bicycle wheel. Talk to them about the concept before starting this game.

Ask the children to stand in a close circle, each child facing someone else's back. The children then extend their arms toward the inside of the circle so everyone's hands are touching. They then go 'round and 'round, like a bicycle wheel, trying to keep all the spokes attached!

Do As I Say. This game requires concentration! Start off slowly -- speak slowly and give just a few commands at a time. Even if you notice children aren't getting it quite right, just smile and move right along to the next challenge.

The children stand in a circle, with you in the center. Explain that you're going to give them a short list of things to do but that they're not to do them until you've completed the list. Then present such challenges as:

· Jump forward, jump backward.
· Clap twice, blink your eyes.
· Turn yourself around, give yourself a hug.
· Touch your knees, touch your head.
· Clap twice, blink your eyes, turn around.

With older, more experienced children, you can extend the list of commands even further. They may not be able to "clap twice, blink eyes, turn around, give yourself a hug," but they'll have fun trying!

Book Review

"For those of us who believe that 'play is the right of every child,' this collection of non-competitive, non-embarrassing, non-eliminating, and yet fun and instructional games for young children, is highly welcomed in the early childhood community! I love the way Rae describes why each game is important in terms of cognitive, social/emotional, and physical benefits thus helping teachers articulate to parents and administrators that play is an 'essential part' of any curriculum for young children."

Marcy Guddemi,
Early Childhood Curriculum Specialist

These games, along with their variations, appear in Great Games for Young Children (Gryphon House, 2006) by Rae Pica.

The games in this book provide benefits for the whole child, meaning each game benefits all three domains of child development: cognitive, social/emotional, and physical. These new and classic games, each with a noncompetitive twist, are sure to get children up and moving. You’ll find everything you need to know to play over 100 great games, including outside games, musical games, circle games, concept games, and cooperative games. Perfect for rainy days, sunny days, and every day, each game in this book offers heart rate raising, team-building, friend-filled fun!

To find out more or purchasee from Amazon click on the box below.



Moving & Learning
Rae Pica, Director/Author
Email us at raepica@movingandlearning.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.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

NAEYC Offers New Website: Tips for Parents Searching for Quality Child Care

by Rae Pica
http://raepica.typepad.com/my_weblog/


Newly redesigned RightChoiceforKids.org gives parents a one-stop shop for information about high-quality early childhood education

(Washington, D.C.) – The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is very excited to announce the launch of a newly redesigned website specifically made for parents and families. The new rightchoiceforkids.org should be every parent’s first stop when beginning their search for quality child care for their young child from birth through 5 years old. The new rightchoiceforkids.org offers families tips on finding quality child care, allows for easy search for NAEYC-Accredited programs in your area, provides parent-focused articles and videos, and other great resources!

Accredited programs – the mark of quality in early childhood education. But looking for a high-quality program can be challenging with all the choices available to parents. Rightchoiceforkids.org helps communicate that the best way to guarantee a program’s quality is by looking for the NAEYC Torch – a symbol of NAEYC Accreditation. NAEYC-Accredited programs are required to meet 10 early childhood program standards and demonstrate compliance with more than 400 specific criteria, which were created using the latest research and developmentally appropriate practices in the field.

“High-quality early childhood education is a critical component to a child’s success in school and life,” said Mark R. Ginsberg, executive director of NAEYC. “For years parents have asked us what early childhood program would be best for their child and rightchoiceforkids.org helps answer that question."

In addition to looking for NAEYC-Accredited programs, parents can also use the following checklist of tips when visiting programs for the first time:

1. A good program will always provide parents an opportunity to visit, stay awhile, and get a good sense of the environment.

2. Parents should ask about and observe group sizes and the number of teaching staff in each classroom. NAEYC recommends no more than 8 babies or 12 toddlers with at least 2 teaching staff. For preschoolers, group size should not exceed 20 children with at least 2 teaching staff always present.

3. Play, including dramatic play and blocks and active play outdoors, should be integrated into classroom topics of study. Play not only supports children’s intellectual development; it is also very important for the physical development of children.

4. Programs should promote the health and nutrition of children.

5. Children in the program should be engaged with one another and their teachers.

6. Listen and watch for a happy buzz of activity—neither too quiet nor too loud.

7. Teachers should use positive speech and be loving and responsive to a child.

8. A good program should be able to adapt to the needs of each individual child without ignoring the whole group.

9. Teaching staff should be qualified academically.

10. Parents should ask about teacher turnover. A high-quality program will have well-compensated and well-trained staff to ensure retention.

11. Programs should have a strong connection with the families of each child and the community, as well.

12. Parents should also think about what they see based on what they know about their child. Are the teachers treating children in ways that will be comfortable to their child? Are the materials and activities likely to be of interest and to be challenging but achievable to their child? Is the program interested in what is important to the parent and willing to work with the family to give a child the high-quality experiences he or she deserves?

Overall parents should feel comfortable in an early education setting. Chances are if a parent does not feel comfortable, neither will the child. It is also important for parents to understand that NAEYC-Accredited programs will not only meet a child where he or she is, but will also present challenges to improve that child’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

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.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

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

What Others Are Saying About "MOVING THROUGH ALL SEVEN DAYS" by Kathy Ann Stemke

We are very close to publishing Moving Through All Seven Days. Review copies have been sent out and the reviews are pouring in. The following reviews are a sample of what others are saying about this exciting new book with teacher resources.

Kathy Stemke’s Moving through All Seven Days offers a multifaceted approach to movement in the classroom that also offers a healthy dose of the language arts!

Rae Pica
Education Consultant
Early Childhood Physical Activity

www.movingandlearning.com
www.bamradionetwork.com

Moving Through All Seven Days is a wonderful way to teach young children the days of the week. The days move forward with playful activities, "Slipping, sliding, spin and play, Fun on Sunday, that's the way."

Reading and exercise – what a combination! With bold and colorful illustrations it is sure to hold any child’s attention.

As an added feature, Moving Through All Seven Days includes an activity and learning section with: in class activities, spelling the days of the week, rhyming words, coloring pages and more. This is sure to be a hit in any preschool or lower grade classroom.
Moving Through All Seven Days is also a great way to teach the days of the week to your own little ones before they start school. I’ll be reading it to my 3-year-old grandson!

Karen Cioffi
Co-Author of Day’s End Lullaby
http://www.dkvwriting4u.com
http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com

This fun book is full of lively rhymes, clever illustrations, and engaging activities sure to be fun for all the kids in your class -- or out of it. I knew I was hooked when I found myself filling in the missing letters on the Complete Each Word activity.

Kathy Stemke, can I be in your class? Pretty please?

Margaret Fieland
Author/Educator
http://www.margaretfieland.com

Move and groove along with the whimsical characters of Moving Through All Seven Days as they slip, twirl, and glide you through the days of the week. An activities resource to help reinforce the learning process of spelling the days of the week is a welcome bonus. It provides an ingenious way of getting the children up from behind their desks to experience learning through movement.

Children’s author, Kathy Ann Stemke brilliantly blends lyrical rhyme and the learning process in a fun and educational twist. Along with the vibrant illustrations created by Tony Glisson, Moving Through All Seven Days is a must have for preschool and kindergarten classrooms and no home library would be complete without it.

Reviewed by author, Donna M. McDine, for the National Writing for Children Center.
Marketing Manager at Stories for Children Magazine
http://www.donnamcdine.com

Each rhyme is short, easy to learn, and fun. I teach Pre-k for the local school district. Our "teaching time" is so limited in Pre-k for scheduling reasons.
What caught my attention is that a teacher could quickly do a daily "story board" and the kids would GET it. At higher grade levels this material could be easily used in center stations for independent work that students would be interested in doing. WAY TO GO!

Versana Polidore
Thomas Gibbs Elementary School
Classroom teacher

Kathy Stemke's websites:
http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

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!
http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html

http://kathystemke.weebly.com