Keeping fitness fun and active with a mixed age group can be a challenge in the winter months. Climbing sofa's, chairs, and tables are a natural choice for toddlers, but not a safe one. So, in fun fitness style we MAKE time for fitness play in pre-k! Brain Break!!We use these several times each day! When the children begin to run in circles, or just dump toys (and not proceed to play with them), it is a physical signal to me that they are done with their current activity and are getting bored. Taking a "brain break" is a perfect way to refocus that energy into a constructive and positive skill building activity that allows them to move, groove, and get their self-regulation back! Any activity that engages multiple senses is good for this. Brain breaks include listening and full body movement making it a perfect way to learn new songs! These are the ones we use most often in our class!
Our Food and Fitness theme from Mother Goose Time curriculum has brought us lots of opportunities for new songs, dances, and fitness fun! Our children LOVE to dance. They LOVE to be able to dance to these sweet videos and it gives the plenty of opportunity to develop body awareness, coordination, and balance. Bringing lessons into the classroom!Ms. Melissa brings new yoga games, poses, and music each month right to our class. Our children then spend time several times each week recalling and practicing the lesson she has taught us. We practice our listening and observation skills, our coordination and balance, our breathing and focus. She uses shapes, songs, ribbons, game cards and makes each lesson achievable for our mixed age group. Most of our children participate in the group lessons. We do have a few that just rather observe from the side than participate.. (And that's just fine too!) Mr. Ninja makes his lessons incredible for our little one's aged 18 months-5 years. Ever tried holding the attention of 10 children of that age span? Mr. Ninja does a super job..... The children just light up when they are allowed to punch, kick, chop, break boards, and yell (and it is encouraged!!!) What a great confidence builder for our sweet babes!
Keeping little bodies busy when the weather is less than cooperative can be an opportunity for music, movement, and lessons that result in increased skills, balance, confidence, and fitness for preschool children. We love the indoor winter months when we get creative and get moving! As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today! - L
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In the summer I set out to find just the right curriculum for my little mixed age group. It always seemed like I was burning the midnight oil prepping for the upcoming days. That journey led me to researching the top rated children's curriculum that were hands-on with activities that would prepare my soon to be Kindergartners to be ready for school as well as meet the needs of my little toddling ones. I finally settled on four top companies, wrote to them and asked if they would be interested in an honest review of their products. They all were delighted and quickly shipped out the curriculum. This review is the final one of the four part series and will go into detail about what you can expect from Carol's Affordable Curriculum. First, let me say, "WOW!" I could tell that Carol, the CEO of CAC (Carol's Affordable Curriculum) had to have been a licensed in-home childcare provider in her previous life. It shows in such an amazing way....That's not to say that it wouldn't be suited for a center. It absolutely would. But Carol takes painstaking efforts to come up with daily lessons that appeal to a wide age range and ability. Not only that, she provides a monthly menu (that looks to me like it would be approved by the food program saving the provider HOURS of food planning), tips and tricks for growing your business, and a self-assessment checklist that really makes you stop and think about how you are presenting yourself to your children and clients. Enough of the chit chat....Let me just show you!!This page right here. This one made me squeal out loud! This was also the ONE SINGLE PAGE that told me Ms. Carol had walked in our shoes. That she understood exactly what the day of the in-home childcare provider was like. Why? Not one other curriculum included this page. This is a major time saver for me. A menu.....FOR A MONTH! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! Maybe I am easy to please. Maybe I should get out more often....maybe....just maybe....Carol get's it! Yep...that's the one. She has walked a mile in our shoes. So she includes this major time saver. I can take this bad boy to the store with me and use it as a meal planner AND my shopping list. You know what? She even includes recipes! |
Life is made of moments..."There isn't anything more full of hope, joy and peace than a child's smile... It captures the mundane and makes it extraordinary." - LaDonna Woolsey I am a Mother Goose Time Blogger. I decided to become one after trying their products because I they are comprehensive and serve my mixed age group well. I do receive products to review from Mother Goose Time and do so with my own honest and thorough opinions. For more information, please contact me at Ladonna@woolseyacademy.com
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