Description
Book SynopsisThe term 'busy bees' is particularly appropriate when describing young children. Children from ages 2-5 are on the go much of the time. Their interest in exploring and learning new things is exciting to watch. However, reports about the skill and activity levels of older children are very disturbing and, as educators, demand our attention. The classroom teacher needs to instruct and monitor the child's motor skills. This book has been designed to help the classroom teacher with this prospect. The entire purpose of this book is to provide practical and easy ways teachers can help pupils develop gross motor skills while increasing their activity level. Provided in the introductory pages of Gross motor skills is background information on motor planning, body awareness, bilateral integration and tactile awareness. An understanding of the basics of each of these areas will help teachers in monitoring and instructing pupils in motor skills. Included is information on each topic, characteristics of children having difficulty within each area, and suggestions for helping these pupils. Included at the end of the introduction are developmental checklists of gross motor skills of children from ages 3-5. Following the introductory pages, the book is divided into seven major sections. 'Spatial and body awareness' contains activities that help each pupil understand his or her own body's potential for movement. Through action songs and poems, as well as creative movement activities such as using streamers, the pupil will develop a better understanding of his or her own personal space and the space around him or her. Activities devoted to walking, running, jumping, and more are included in the section, 'Locomotor skills'. Developing these skills is crucial to helping pupils gain further success in any other movement experience. The 'Ball skills' section provides ideas for learning to throw, catch and play with balls.
Table of ContentsIntroduction...3Body awareness...4Motor planning...5Bilateral integration and crossingthe midline... 6-10Tactile awareness... 11-12Early childhood development...13Gross motor skills checklists...14-15Ages: 4 to 5 years...14Ages: 5 to 6 years...15Helpful hints for gross motorskills development...16Spatial and body awareness...17-69Action songs and poems...18-37Creative movement...38-69Body letters...38-42Imagine that!...43Move like this...44Pipe-cleaner body movement...45Pipe-cleaner figure...46Sight word movement cards...47-49Streamer activities...50-53Part-to-part...54I feel ...55Feelings spinner...56Over and under...57Stars in the sky...58Human chain...59Simon says...60Colour board...61Spinners for colour board...62Rolling activities...63Crawling activities...64Creeping activities...65Sitting activities...66Kneeling activities...67Standing activities...68Scooter board activities...69Locomotor skills...70-100Travelling...71-84Walking opposites...71Running games...72-73Going ape...74Walk like this...74Animal action cards...75-76Walking action cards...77Newspaper walk...78Parts...79Beanbag movement...80Wheelbarrow, crab and chimp walks...81Mother, may I?...82Walk the line...83Stilts...84Jumping and hopping...85-91Newspaper jump...85Line jump...86Jumping obstacle course...87Three-jump obstacle course...88Footprint patterns...89Hopping on alternating feet...90Hop, skip and jump!...91Skipping...92Galloping...93-94Horses...93Barn pattern...94Combined locomotor skills...95-100From here to there...95Locomotor movement cards...96-100Ball skills... 101-137Throwing and catching... 102-126Scarf toss...102Partner toss...103Scarf juggling...104Catch practice...105Weaving a web...106Stardom!...107Word ball...108Tin bounce...109Scoop it... 110Scoop catch... 110Using beanbags...111Beanbag patterns... 112-115Air toss... 116Can stack... 117Vertical target toss... 118Target pattern 1-3...120-121Container toss...122Target toss 1...123Animal patterns...124-125Target toss 2...126Rolling...127-128Ball roll...127Bowling...128Kicking...129Batting...130-137Balloon bounce...130Balloon bop...131Tennis ball hit...132Balloon volleyball...132Batting cone...133Cone ball...134Pinata...135-137Equipment...138-169Playground equipment... 139-149Climbing structures... 139-140Slides... 141-142Swings... 143-144Tyre swings...145Tunnels...146Rocking equipment...147Riding toys... 148-149Parachutes...150-153Hula hoops...154-158Skipping ropes...159-164Combining equipment...165Movement centres...165Making movementactivity cards...166Using paused music...166Movement activity cards...167-169Sensory tables... 170-187Sand...171-173Sand toys...172Funnel pour...173Water... 174-177Water fun...174Water toy fun...175Egg whisk bubbles...176Magic bubble cloth...176Coloured water...177Beans and rice...178-179Mixing recipes...178Object hunt...179Touch tables...180-183Lotion rub...180Finger painting fun...181Less mess...181What do you feel?...182-183Oral sensory tables...184-186Sample platter...184-186Scent tables...187Creative play...188-212Painting activities... 189-192Water painting...189Branch painting...190Wool art...191Marble painting...192Play activities... 193-204Spoon walk...193ContentsSpoon relay...193Hammering nails...194Hammer and count...194Pantomime...195Vertical activities... 196-198Marble roll...199Going fishing...200-201Sock erasers...202Line-to-line...203Ping-pong soccer...203Obstacle course...203Water transfer...204Dramatic play activities...205-207Dramatic play...205Theme boxes...205-207Cooking activities...208Music activities...209-212Musical instruments and aids... 210-212Games, obstacles and relays...213-221Games...214Balloon games...214Let's shake on it...215Guard the pin...216London Bridge...217Octopus...218Newcomb...219Blizzard...220Monkey in the middle...221Obstacle courses...222-228Obstacle course...222Create your own obstacle course...223Obstacle course kickball...224Friendship obstacle course...225-226Weather the obstacles...227-228Relays...229-234Chopstick-balloon relay...229Crab relay...229Caterpillar relay...230Potato relay...230Suitcase relay...231Carry and fetch relay...231Choo-choo relay...232Water relay...232Appendix...233-235Playdough recipes...233-234Paint recipes...235
