large motor play
-
Gross Motor Activities with Apples
Sometimes we have to get a little creative in order to support gross motor skills, but when it comes to exploring apples, there are tons of ways to incorporate practicing these skills! Here are some of my favorite ideas. Apples are ball-shaped (for the most part) which makes them perfect for tossing and catching – gently of course! They can also be rolled back and forth or used in games like bowling. Apples with stems can be tied to a piece of yarn and hung from a tree so children can practice reaching and pulling (or “picking”). They make excellent items for relay races – balance them on wooden spoons,…
-
Activities to do with yarn – gross motor
If there is one thing that is universal for every single preschool program it’s that you never seem to have enough materials for all of the activities that you want to do with the children. Over the years I’ve gotten pretty good at creating fun experiences with very few supplies. I thought it would be fun to focus on one simple supply and share a ton of easy activities that you can do to meet different learning domains. This week is going to be all about things you can do with yarn. When it comes to gross motor activities, yearn is the perfect tool for practicing a variety of skills.…
-
Outdoor Imaginative Play
The outdoors are the perfect setting for imaginative play because they lend themselves to a number of themes that children love, such as pirates, faeries, the jungle, and camping. I love to include some basic props on the playground that spark that imagination. Here are some of my favorite materials (all links are affiliates): Dancing Scarves Ribbon Wands Play Food Large Plastic Blocks Pool Noodles Large Foam Blocks These are a great place to start because they can be turned into almost anything that a child might need for whatever theme they are acting out.
You May Also Like
Gross Motor Activities with Apples
-
Playground Rules
Do you have a strict set of playground rules or are you more of the relaxed “go explore” type? I love to get others’ opinions on this particular subject because most people generally feel very strongly one way or another. I can certainly see both sides. I understand that rules are in place for a reason, and that they can keep children from getting injured. I also understand the importance of being able to explore and be curious. personally I tend to lean towards the “explore” side of things. I fully believe that children learn best from first hand experience and that safety can be maintained as long as I…
You May Also Like
Gross Motor Activities with Apples
-
Teaching children how to play outdoors
I hear it more and more often, either programs don’t take their children outside to play because they feel pressured to accomplish learning goals OR they do take the children outside but then the children don’t know what to do once they get out there. It is becoming more and more common for our young children to not know how to engage in an unstructured outdoor environment, which means that it is our job to teach them! As a child I hated playing outside, I was that girl who didn’t like bugs or dirt or sweating. Even though I complained, my mom insisted that I go out and entertain myself.…
You May Also Like
Gross Motor Activities with Apples
-
Classroom Obstacle Courses
Yesterday I posted tips for one of my favorite rainy afternoon activities – fort building. Today I’m sharing the activity that I keep in my other pocket – obstacle courses. The trick to a good obstacle course is to include elements that will be challenging, but not so difficult that the children can’t do them. When I create an obstacle course I use items that are already in my classroom, but I try to think of ways that they can be used differently – chairs become tunnels that they have to slither through, pillows become stepping stones, and rulers are for jumping over. This gets the children excited about the…
You May Also Like
Gross Motor Activities with Apples
-
Preschool movement videos
I’ve already shared how much I wish March meant that spring and warm weather were here – even though I know it doesn’t. This is exactly what makes this one of the most difficult months for preschool. The children want to need to get outside, but it’s either too cold or too muddy, and you just can’t. It’s the perfect time of year to pull out the secret weapon, movement videos! Here are some of my favorites for those days when you just have to shake all those sillies out; Go Noodle Whether you need some movement, or want to help them calm down, Go Noodle has an quick activity…
-
Valentine Movement Games
Party days are chaos. Instead of fighting it, just embrace it, and incorporate some of these fun Valentine-themed movement games: Musical hearts Color a heart XO Hop Conversation heart jump Giant alphabet heart matching game Use these games to channel the sugar rush into something educational that will help burn off some steam!
-
Freebie Friday: Movement Charts
Happy Friday, we made it through the first week back to real life! The one thing that I love about January is that after having jam-packed weekend throughout November and December, my weekends finally feel like they belong to me again. I am looking forward to getting a lot done around the house this weekend, because I’ll finally have the time. Earlier this week I gave you some ideas for indoor movement games, today’s freebie goes with this list perfectly! The free Movement Chart is from Chanda at Pink Oatmeal, the chart is meant to help you track your students’ movement activities, to make sure that they are participating in movement…
-
Large motor activities that can be done indoors
Winter. The one word that strikes fear into the heart of preschool teachers everywhere. cold winter days seem so much longer because the kids don’t have the opportunity to run around outside. At three, four, or five years old, the opportunity to run wild is a necessity. Kiddos can only sit for so long before they get restless, it’s normal and completely natural, but it makes teaching them so much more difficult! During the winter I make sure to give my students just as much time for active motor games that I do during the rest of the year, but these activities have to be a little more structured because…
