An Egg-cellent Game!

I must share with you a new “find” that I just LOVE! It encourages movement and provides a multitude of other benefits too -- balance, coordination, cooperation, and fine motor skills. The item, Egg and Spoon Race (AP25028J) gives a new twist to the old classic Egg and Spoon Pass. This new version is definitely appropriate for the toddler and preschoolers but school-agers love it too. Parents and teachers will also “crack-up” when they see what happens when the egg drops from the spoon. Instead of chocolate bunnies and Easter candy, I’m planning on adding Egg and Spoon Race to all five of my grandchildren’s baskets! What fun we’ll have as we play the following game.

Egg and Spoon Race
Materials:
Egg and Spoon Race (4 plastic spoons, 4 egg bean bags, 4 re-breakable eggshells) - AP25028J
Colored Cones - SETC
Hop Around Steps - HOPPA
Available indoor or outdoor space

Set Up:
1. Place cones 10-20 feet across from each other to designate “start” and “finish” lines.

2. Place Hop Around Steps two feet apart from each other between the start and finish lines.

Let’s Get Started:1. Divide the children into four groups (teams or squads) of equal numbers. Children in each team stand in a straight line or row, one person behind the other.

2. Provide the first child on each team with a spoon and egg.

3. The first child places the egg in the bowl of the spoon.

4. On the command, “Ready, Set, GO!” the race begins as the child walks in and around the Hop Around Steps to the “finish” cone on the opposite side, circles around it, and walks back to his team.

5. He gives the egg and spoon to the second member of his team who then walks holding the egg and spoon and weaving in and out of the Hop Around Steps and back to the start where he passes the egg to next member on his team.

6. The game is over when every child has had a turn carrying the egg in the spoon and the child who started the relay returns to the head of the line.

7. If the egg drops out of the spoon, the child must stop, pick up the egg bean bag and eggshell, put it back together, place it on his spoon and then continue.

Furthermore: 
 • With younger children have them just walk from the start to the finish and drop the egg into a bucket.

• With older children challenge them to travel in a different way, i.e., run, jump, walk backwards, skip.

• Toddlers can toss the egg and watch them break. The eggs actually sound like real eggs breaking when they hit the floor.

• Set out a Balance Beam (248) and have the children hold the egg and spoon as they walk across the beam.

Pair-a-Chute! Friends Playing Together

Celebrate love and friendship during the month of February by introducing the Pair-a-Chute (PAIRUP) to your children. Designed in favorite childhood colors, Pair-a-Chutes invite children of all ages to play. This new active play item is designed for children to play with a partner and at the same time practice such social skills as turn taking, sharing and cooperation.

See-Saw Pull - Ages: 3-5 years old
Two children hold Pair-a-Chute handles with an overhand grip (palms down, fingers grasping the handle) while sitting down. The children pull the chute back and forth in a see-sawing motion. This is a good warm up and helps to strengthen shoulder, arm and hand muscles.

Up & Down - Ages: 3-5 years old
Two children hold Pair-a-Chute handles at waist level with an overhand grip (palms down, fingers grasping the handle). When you say “up,” the children lift their arms above their heads. When you say “down,” the group lower their arms back to waist level. Continue until the children are able to move the Pair-a-Chute up and down smoothly. This is a good introductory game that helps children learn to work as a team.

How Many Times? -  Ages: 3-8 years old
Two children hold Pair-a-Chute handles at waist level. Place one bean bag in the center of the chute. Following your signals, the children raise and lower the chute with the goal of tossing the bean bag in to the air as many times as possible before it flies off the Pair-a-Chute and lands on the ground. Each time the bean bag is tossed into the air, the children call out the number of times it has been tossed up. If the children are able to keep the bean bag up several times, add a second bean bag, then possibly a third.

Target Practice -  Ages: 3-8 years old
The size of the Pair-A-Chutes makes for a BIG target. Lay them on the ground and use them as targets for beanbag tossing (underhand--with hand swung below shoulder level) or hang them on a fence and use them as targets for beanbag throwing (overhand-- hand raised above shoulder).

We Can Fly! - Ages: 3-5 years old
One Pair-a-Chute for each child. Instruct them to hold the chute with a hand in each of the handles on one of the short sides of the rectangular chute. Have them raise it above their heads and run into the wind. The chute will billow in the wind behind them like a giant kite.

Popcorn - Ages: 3-5 years old
Two children hold Pair-a-Chute handles at waist level. Place 4 bean bags (popcorn kernels) in center of the chute. Children chant the following as they shake the pair-a-chute--

4 popcorn kernels sizzling in the pan. (shake chute slowly)
The pan got hot and all of them popped! (shake chute vigorously) 

When all the bean bags (popcorn kernels) pop off the chute, children retrieve them and do it again. In fact, they will want to repeat the game over and over again.

Toss & Catch - Ages: 4-8 years old
Two children hold Pair-a-Chute handles at waist level. One person (the tosser) tosses a bean bag toward the Pair-a-Chute. The children holding the chute work together to “catch” or receive the bean bag. The receivers return the bean bag to the tosser as they work together lifting and shaking the Pair-a-Chute.

Partners Toss & Catch - Ages: 4-8 years old
Use both Pair-a-Chutes and 4 children. Two children hold each Pair-a-Chute and stand 5 - 10 feet away from each other. One Pair-a-Chute team tosses a bean bag from their chute to the other Pair-a-Chute team’s chute. The object is for each team to propel the bean bag to the other team’s chute without it falling to the ground or floor. Challenge the teams to increase the distance between the Pair-a-Chutes. This is a great team-building activity as partners need to communicate the tossing and catching of the bean bag

Put Your Best Foot Forward in 2012

A study just published this month in “Pediatrics,” the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, found that kids spend about 70% to 83% of their time in child care being sedentary, not counting the time spent eating and napping. Only 2% to 3% of the time is spent in vigorous activities. Educators know vigorous activity is important to children. But they cited several barriers, including concerns about injuries, focus on academics and limited outdoor space and playground equipment. Research shows that children are more likely to be active if they are given time, space, freedom, and simple equipment (balls, hoops, and jump ropes). “Put your best foot forward” means to embark on a journey or task with purpose and gusto. Make a good start this year by planning and including physical activity outdoors and inside...while also meeting curriculum standards Be a great role model. Encourage and participate with children in physical activity. Adults demonstrate the importance of health and fitness through their actions as well as their words. Let’s get ‘em moving! Here’s how...

1. Go outside and play Shadow Tag: Instead of tagging bodies, the children step on each others’ shadows in this run and chase game.

2. Shadow Freeze: Play lively music and have children move in the open space. When the music stops, children must “freeze” their shadows. How long can they hold their shadows still? When the music starts again the children resume moving.

3. Shadow Dancing: Imitate each other’s movements. “Shadow Dancing Song” by Greg and Steve on “Kids in Motion” CD.

4. Shape Parade: Take your rhythm instruments outdoors and have a parade. Use appropriate marching music. Draw large shapes (circle, triangle, square, rectangle) with chalk on your outdoor surface. Have children march with instruments around each shape.

5. Create a unique movement path by placing Riverstones (AP6226J) or Activity Hoops on the ground. Pretend they are rocks in a river. Get from one side to the other without stepping in the river.

6. Go for a Wacky Walk: Place Movement Spots (arrows, shapes, hands and feet spots) on the ground outside. Make paths for children to go in straight lines, then zig-zag lines, then curvy lines, and then try walking backwards. Place the hands and feet spots in such a way to encourage children to walk like dogs or bears.

7. I Spy: Go outside and take turns saying, “I spy something ______” and then have the children run to that object

8. Include motor skill challenges during transition times. For example, “Let’s jump like frogs to circle time,” or “Please hop on one foot back to your seat.”
9. Snakes: Give each child a Nylon Jump Rope (RPST) and instruct them to place their rope on the ground in the shape of a “snake.” The snakes should all look different. When you say, “walk,” the children are to walk around without stepping on any of the rope snakes. Now add a variety of other locomotor movements as ways to travel around the snakes--tiptoe, run, jump, hop, gallop, skip, walk backwards.

10. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Take children outside and have them line up (shoulder to shoulder) facing you. Instruct children to clap and jump on the numbers in the rhyme and then act out the words. Do it in unison.

                        One, two...Buckle my shoe.
                        Three, four...Shut the door.
                        Five, six...Pick up sticks.
                        Seven, eight...Lay them straight.
                        Nine, ten...A big fat hen.

On the word “hen” let children run in a circle counting from one to ten. On ten, they must be back in place to start the rhyme again.

The Floppy Flipper! Handmade Fun!

No glue, no scissors, no messy paint! Set out some simple art materials and let the children create an all-time favorite toy of unlimited play value--The Floppy Flipper!

This handmade piece of simple equipment costs pennies to make, is fun to play with and the benefits are priceless...promoting eye hand coordination, striking skills, crossing the midline, vestibular stimulation, spatial awareness, cooperation and creativity. This is the perfect gift to “give” to your child or the children in your care. More importantly, you can play with them...giving them the best gift of all...your time and participation!

A paint stick and packaging tape can be found at the local hardware store. Add a balloon or a small beach ball and let the games begin!

Materials Needed:2 White Paper Plates (thin and uncoated) per Floppy Flipper (DIXIE)
Paint Sticks (1 per Floppy Flipper)
Clear Packaging Tape
Crayons
Washable Markers
Colorations® Washable Chubbie Markers (CHUBBERS)
Colorations Washable Stamp Pads (STAMPADS)
Stampers
Stickers
Stapler (BVST) and Staples (5000)
Balloon or Beach Ball (DYOBALL)
Colorations® Permanent Markers (PERMBLK)
Let’s Get Started:1. Using a couple of pieces of clear packaging tape, tape the paint stick to the middle of one paper plate.

2. Give each child another paper plate and ask him or her to decorate it with the available art materials.

3. When the child is finished, staple the plate to the plate which you’ve taped to a paint stick.
4. Have the child write or stamp their name on the paint stick handle.

5. The Floppy Flipper is now ready to be played with!

Floppy Flipper Wimbledon:Have each child pick a balloon, blow it up (or have it blown up) and tie it. Suggest they write their name on the balloon with a permanent marker. Instead of a balloon have the child decorate their own small beach ball (available at Discount School Supply®).
Let the children explore and play with their Floppy Flippers and balloons. Ask them to find out...

• How high can they hit their balloon?
• How far can they hit the balloon?
• How many times in a row can they hit the balloon (How about five?!!)
• How long can they keep their balloon in the air?
• Can they hit their balloon, spin around, then hit it again?

As the children become more proficient, ask them to try to keep a balloon in the air by hitting it back and forth with a partner. Now they’re playing Floppy Flipper Wimbledon!

Suggest they change partners once or twice.

As a further challenge for older kids, have them attempt to keep two balloons in the air by themselves or with partners!

REMEMBER: Balloons ALWAYS require adult supervision. Always use helium quality balloons or sturdy punch ball balloons. Do not use fragile party balloons. You can cover balloons using knee hi stockings, pantyhose or any fruit mesh sacks (citrus, watermelon, cantaloupe). Should the balloon pop, the covering prevents burst balloon shards from being inhaled by children.

Discount School Supply® Product Recommendations:9” White Paper Plates (DIXIE)
Decorate Your Own Beach Ball (DYOBALL)
Colorations® Regular Crayons (CRS16)
Colorations® Washable Scented Markers (SNIFFY)
Colorations® Mini Dabber Dot Markers (DABDOT)
Colorations® Jumbo Washable Stamp Pad (BIGSTAMP)
Colorations® Uppercase Stamping Sticks (ABCSTK)
Colorations® Lowercase Stamping Sticks (LOWER)
Animal Stamping Sticks (ANISTIX)
Super Stamping Sticks (STICKS)
Assorted Stickers ((2088)
Stapler and Staples (BVST and 5000)
Colorations® Color Permanent Markers (PERMCLR)

Take 5 and Exercise!

The brain needs to be oxygenated every 15 to 20 minutes and the best way to accomplish that is to “get off your seat and onto your feet.” When we physically move, we are sending blood and glucose to the brain, thus providing much needed oxygen and nutrients that help the brain to retain information, improve concentration and focus attention. So start your day or intersperse throughout the day five different stretches or exercises.  As you lead each movement have the children count out loud to five.  For example, start out with five Toe Touches. Instruct children to bend over at waist and touch their toes as they say, “One.” Then say, “Up,” as children raise their arms over their heads. Then say, “Two,” as children bend over and touch their toes again. Continue until you have completed 5 Toe Touches.  Ask the children to show you with their fingers/hands and shout out loud how many Toe Touches they have completed. Ask the children what other exercise they can do five times.  Here are some suggestions --
Tummy Twists -- hands on waist as children twist from side to side 5 times

Arm Circles -- arms out to sides and make big circles while counting to 5

Jog in Place 5 Miles -- children count a slow but steady and loud 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Jumping Jacks -- arms at sides, feet together. Jump up while spreading arms and legs apart at the same time.  Lift arms to ears and open feet a little wider than shoulder width. Clap or touch hands above head. Return from jumping up by bringing arms back down to side and feet back together. Continue with 4 more jumping jack repetitions.

Remember, after each exercise, to ask the children to show you and tell you how many exercises they did. It reinforces learning and perhaps will encourage you and the children to include some physical activity when waiting for the next activity or including throughout your day a much needed “brain break!”

Let's Go Outside and Play!

Ask a child what their favorite part of the school day is and they will most likely say, OUTSIDE! October 16-22 is “Take It Outside!” week. Open the door and turn your learning environment inside out. Share the wonders of the natural world with young children while increasing moderate to vigorous activity, fostering creativity and imagination, activating all the senses, extending children’s language skills, encouraging loud and unstructured free play. The many health benefits of outdoor play (vitamin D exposure, increased immunity, better sleep, lower stress levels) create happy and healthy children. Here are some ideas of what you can do in your Outdoor Classroom:
• Roll down a grassy hill. No hill? Pull out a tumbling mat and have children roll like a log from one end to the other.

• Pull out the parachute and move it like the wind, gently blowing (slow and soft movements up and down) or create strong gusty gales (fast and quick shaking movements). When the wind blows in the autumn, leaves fall from the trees, twirling and dancing in the wind. Place some real leaves on the parachute and have the children shake the parachute accordingly as you describe how the wind is blowing, either gently or more briskly. After a big, stormy strong wind the leaves have all scattered. Children will have fun as they “rake” up the leaves that have blown (shaken) off of the parachute.

• Pick up a stick, find a rock, climb a tree, look for bugs, smell the flowers, collect leaves, go on a nature hike, dig in the dirt, jump in a puddle, have fun in the mud.

Go on a hike and count tree rings!

• Play “I Spy Outside.” Take turns saying, “I spy something _____” and then together run to that object.

• “Wanna Play Chase?” Children just want to run and it’s always fun to run with or after someone. Tell the children to always ask the person they want to chase, “Wanna play chase? I’ll chase you first and then you can chase me. On your mark, get set, go!”

• Move like the animals -- fly like a bird, slither like a snake, scamper like a squirrel, walk like a bear, jump like a frog or a rabbit.

• Set up a Nature Scavenger Hunt. After assessing your playground or yard, make a list of things that the children have to find. The list might include an acorn, a Y-shaped twig, a pinecone, a clover, a pillbug, a gray rock, or whatever else might be in the immediate environment. Naturally, the list will depend on the season and the age of the hunters.

• Make a Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course. Using sidewalk chalk create a maze for children to follow using different movement skills. Draw -- straight lines, curvy roads, zig-zag paths for children to walk on; lily pads to frog jump onto; shapes to hop into; rivers to cross; and rainbows to jump over.

Make nature and the outdoors a part of your teaching. Lead the way and be the first to say, “Let’s Go Outside & Play!

Alligator in the Swamp

Toddlers to preschoolers will enjoy letting their imaginations “run wild” as they take a trip over a bridge (carrying a baby doll, animal or other object) crossing a swamp where a hungry alligator lives. Children are to walk the beam and put the object they are holding into a basket at the other end of the beam. When crossing the "swamp" children chant, "I'm walking, I'm walking, I'm walking across the swamp. I hope that alligator doesn't go chomp." Explain that the alligator who lives in the swamp will not bother the children as long as they stay on the beam and don’t drop anything that they are carrying. If they do drop something or step off the beam, the alligator (you) will chase them until they deposit everything they are carrying in the basket. This is play with a purpose -- promoting physical, cognitive and social emotional development. What fun...and learning!

Materials and Set Up:
1. Low Balance Beam (248) - a bridge over a swamp (floor) where a hungry alligator lives.
2. Variety of safe objects to carry—soft babies, plastic animals, beanbags, blocks, etc.
3. Basket or bucket placed at far end of balance beam.
4. Adult to role play alligator moving around in open space (swamp).

Lets Get Started:
1. Give child one object.
2. Ask child to walk (heel-toe) across the balance beam slowly carrying the soft object, chanting, "I'm walking, I'm walking, I'm walking across the swamp. I hope that alligator doesn't go chomp."
3. When child reaches end of the beam they are to toss or drop the object into the basket.
4. Explain to children that they should not step off the beam or drop anything into the swamp (floor) because the hungry alligator (adult with extended arms moving up and down like alligator’s jaws) will chase them until they put what they are carrying into the basket.

Furthermore:
1. Give children more things to carry each time they attempt to walk across the alligator swamp.
2. Ask children to carry beanbags balanced on their heads and shoulders.
3. Have children move across the balance beam using other modes of travel. Continue by interjecting other movements such as: “I'm swimming, I'm swimming, I'm swimming across the swamp. I hope that alligator doesn't go chomp.” Can also do tip toeing, jumping etc.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
1. Gross motor coordination—using the trunk and large muscles and limbs of the body—to walk with legs and hold and toss items with arms and hands. Gross motor movement is the predecessor to fine motor skills that are required for formal school work.
2. Dynamic Balance—being able to hold the position of the body when the body is moving—walking across the balance beam. Self-control is important for learning.
3. Eye hand coordination—eyes and hands working together to toss the beanbag into the basket. Eyes and hands need to work together in order to write.
4. Imagery—formation of mental images by memory, imagination or fancy—pretending to cross a bridge over a swamp inhabited by an alligator. Imagination is the precursor to intellectual development.
5. Self-confidence—faith in oneself and one’s own abilities---children can cross balance beam and deliver the object without dropping it.

Product Recommendations:
Balance Beam (248)
Step-A-Logs (STEPLOG)
Beanbags (MEGABEAN and CBB)
Plastic Animals (BABYFARM and BABYZOO)
Multicultural Velour Soft Babies (ALL4BY)
Soft Velour Blocks (VLRBLK)
Willow Baskets (WILLOW)