GAME TIME!

"The world keeps changing, but children stay the same." That's my mantra and it's particularly true when it comes to outdoor games. A jump rope and a ball and you're all set for some outdoor fun.

Build the Castle
Materials: long jump rope
Choose two people to hold the rope. The other players form a straight line and take turns jumping over the rope. The rope begins on the ground, but after everyone has had a turn, it is raised a few inches. If a child’s foot touches the rope, he or she is out of the game. Continue raising the rope until there is just one child left who can jump the height.
*A similar game called “school” can be played. When the rope is on the ground it is called “kindergarten.” Each time the rope is raised, it is called “first grade,” “second grade,” and so on.

Jump the Creek
Materials: 2 jump ropes
Place the two ropes on the ground a few inches apart to make a “creek.”
Have the children line up single file and try to jump over the creek one at a time without stepping on a rope. After every child has jumped, move the ropes a little farther apart to make the creek wider. Continue moving the ropes farther apart and letting the children jump over them. When a player can no longer jump over the rope, they must stand to the side of the game and be cheerleaders. The object of the game is to see how far the children can jump.
*You can play a similar game by drawing lines in the sand or dirt.


Circle Soccer
Materials: playground ball
Stand in a circle and hold hands. Place the ball inside the circle. Children try to kick the ball and keep it inside the circle. If the ball goes out of the circle between two people, then both people are out of the game. If a player kicks the ball too high and it goes over someone’s head, then the player who kicked the ball is out of the game. The game continues until there are just one or two players left.

Call Ball
Materials: playground ball
Divide the class into two teams and have them form two lines about 30 feet apart. Give each child a number by having them count off. (Two players on opposing teams will have the same number.) The teacher/adult stands between the two teams, calls out a number, and throws the ball in the air. The first child with that number to catch the ball wins a point for their team.

Sneaky Snake
Materials: none
Have the children hold hands and stand in a long line. Hold the child’s hand at the front of the line and move them in zigzags, spirals, and all around as the others follow behind.
*See if the “head” of the snake can catch the “tail.”

Wolf and Chickens
Materials: none
Two lines are draw approximately 40 feet apart. The children are the “chickens” and line up behind one of the lines. One child is the wolf and stands between the two lines. The wolf pretends to be a chicken and says, “Cluck, cluck” and flaps his or her arms. But when the wolf shouts, “Wolf,” all the chickens must run to the other line. If the wolf tags them, they must become wolves, too, and help the wolf catch the other chickens. The game continues until all the chickens are caught. The last one caught becomes the wolf for the next game.

*A similar game called “sharks and minnows” can be played. Have the minnows get behind a line as the shark tries to catch them when “shark” is called.

Homework
Ask children to interview their parents to find out what games they played in school.

LEARNING FITNESS TRAIL

You can integrate reading, writing, math, and exercise with a learning/fitness trail.

Materials: cardboard rectangles (8” x 10”), markers, tape

Directions: Have your students brainstorm different “body” and “brain” exercises and write them on the board. 

For example:
10 jumping jacks
say a nursery rhyme
8 windmills
count backwards from 20
12 squats
name your city, state, and country
15 toe touches
name 5 insects
run in place
sing the ABC’s forwards and then backwards
count by 10’s to 100
hop on one foot – hop on the other foot

Divide children into small groups and let them choose an exercise, write it on a piece of cardboard, and decorate it.

Tape the exercises around the playground and let the fun begin.

Hint! Invite other classes to participate in your learning/fitness trail.


Indoor Fitness Trail

Make a similar game to use in the classroom on rainy days.

For example:
*Count to 100 by 10's as you do jumping jacks
*Patty cake some nursery rhymes with a friend 
*Count backwards from 20 as you march in place
*Do squats as you name as many insects as you can
*Balance on one foot as you name your city, state, and country
*Balance on the other foot as you say your address and phone number
*Touch toes and then stand up and read a word in the room 
*Sing the ABC’s forwards and then backwards as you stand on tip toes
*Run in place as you name different shapes that you see

MATH FUN IN THE SUN

The sun is shining so let’s take standards out on the playground for some counting and cardinality.

Number Hunt
Take lunch sacks and write different numerals on them. Give each child a bag and ask them to make that set and put it in the bag. Let children share what they have found with their friends. Have children return the objects to where they found them.
*This can also be done with a partner or in small groups.
Hint! Whenever collecting things outside remind the children to only pick up items off the ground. You never want to pull leaves or flowers off plants because it might hurt them.

Counting
Children can count trees, fence posts, balls, bushes, and many other items on the playground.
*Have children estimate how many and then verify their guess by counting.

Exercise and Count
Have children count how many times they can jump rope. How many jumping jacks can they do? How many times can they bounce and catch a ball without dropping it?

Dot to Dot
Take chalk and write numerals 0-20 randomly on a hard play surface. Children start with zero and run, hop, march, or skip to each numeral in order.
*Adapt the amount to the ability of your students.

Estimation
Fill a basket with rocks, pinecones, leaves, or other natural objects. Ask the children to estimate how many there are. Count the objects. Who guessed more? Who guessed less? Who was closest?

Patterns
Collect 5 or 6 leaves, rocks, sticks or other natural objects. Place a leaf, then a rock, a leaf, then a rock. “What will come next?” Let children make up their own patterns with objects in nature.

Addition & Subtraction
Work out addition and subtraction problems with sticks, leaves, and other natural objects.

Geometry 

Draw basic geometric shapes (square, triangle, rectangle, oval, rhombus, circle) on 6” cardboard squares. Pass out the shapes and challenge the children can find something on the playground with a similar shape.

*Divide children into small groups and let them make shapes with their bodies on the grass.

Measurement
Give children rulers to measure objects on the playground. “Can you find something 2” long? Can you find something smaller than an inch? What’s longer than 5”? How can you measure the slide?”
*Give children a popsicle stick or piece of string and ask them to find something longer, shorter, the same size, etc.

Position I Spy!
Children use positional words to play “I Spy” on the playground. For example: I spy something beside the slide. I spy something behind the tree. I spy something above the sidewalk. I spy something between the big tree and the fence…

Sorting
Ask children to collect different items on the playground. (This will vary with the season and your habitat.) Put their objects together in a big pile. Ask the children to sort the objects. What was their sorting rule?

Seriation
Collect sticks of different lengths and have the children put them in order from smallest to largest.
*They could also seriate leaves, rocks, etc.

Graphing
Ask each child to find a leaf on the playground. Make a graph and have the children lay their leaf in the appropriate space. Compare quantities.

COUNT, SING, AND MOVE!

Counting is a basic strand across math standards. There’s even research that suggests counting with pre-k children can build math concepts they will use later on in kindergarten and primary grades. Counting will have more meaning if you tie it into finger plays, songs, and movements.

Macarena Count to 100
1 (Right arm out palm down.)
2 (Left arm out palm down.)
3 (Right palm up.)
4 (Left palm up.)
5 (Right hand on left shoulder.)
6 (Left hand on right shoulder.)
7 (Right hand behind head.)
8 (Left hand behind head.)
9 (Right hand on left hip.)
10 (Left hand on right hip.)
(Clap two times.)
That is one ten. (Hold up one finger.)
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 (clap clap)
That is two tens.
21-100

View Video

Pump Up to 100
Pretend to hold weights as you count.
1-20 - bicep curls (Elbows in, pretend to hold weights in fists with palms up as you bring forearms up and down.)
21-40 - for overhead press (Fists face forwards as you start at your shoulders and push the weights overhead.)
41-60 – side raises (Elbows at 90% angles as you raise them out to the side.)
61-80 – upright rows (Fists together close to the body and raise elbows out and up until fists are at your heart.)
81-100 – frontal raises - (Fists together and arms stiff as you raise them in front of your body to eye level.)
Whew! (Wipe brow!!!)

View Video

Little Red Number Box (Sarah Wilson)
Put magnetic numbers in a metal tin and then sing the song as you pull out a number. Then count to that number.
For example: I wish I had a little tin box to put a 6 in. I’d take it out and count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and put it back in.

Move and Count
Have children count as they jump, hop, and do other movements.

*Count the steps to the lunchroom.
*Count how long it takes everyone to sit down quietly.
*Count the number of chairs in the room, tables, toys, girls, boys, dragons (that's a joke!) etc.


Giant Number Line
Attach a piece of tape to the floor in a prominent place in your classroom. Let children walk on it forwards, backwards, hop, etc. After playing with the line, ask them to sit on the floor. Explain that you’re going to turn it into a number line as you demonstrate writing numbers (0-10) on the tape.
*Ask one child at a time to walk on the number line as they say each number.
*Call out different numbers and ask random students to stand on those numbers. What is one more? What is one less?
*Give students dot cards (0-10) and ask them to match their card with the number on the line.

View Video

Country Countdown 1-20

Tell the kids to put on their cowboy and cowgirl boots and hats before you begin.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 (Heel tap left and right as you count.)

Turn around and count back down. (Turn around.)
20 19 18 …..

*Why should you ask children to count forwards and backwards? This will help them understand one more, one less, and so forth.

TOUCH, SING, DANCE, COUNT!

Counting is a basic strand across math standards. There’s even research that suggests counting with pre-k children can build math concepts they will use later on in kindergarten and primary grades. To avoid rote counting without meaning, let TOUCH AND COUNT be the mantra you repeat and model over and over. Counting will also have more meaning if you tie it into exercise with one of these ideas. 

*Adapt these activities for younger children by just counting from 1-10. Older students can count to 100 and beyond. 

*Reinforce multiplication by skip counting with these movement activities.


Karate Chop Count
Feet out, knees bent, karate chop with your right hand and then your left as you count by ones.
*Do leg curls and chops as you count by 5’s to 100
*Kick front and back as you count by 10’s to 200.
*Wax on, wax off as you count by 100’s to 1000.

*You can also karate chop spelling words and word wall words. Chop with right hand as you say a letter and then chop with the left hand as you say a letter. Hands folded together and bow as you say the word.


Shoelace Counting
Write numerals 1-20 on a cotton shoelace with a fabric marker. Slide a bead on the shoelace and move it up and down as you count.
*What’s one more than___? Two less than___? 

Pump Up to 100
Pretend to hold weights as you count.
1-20 - bicep curls (Elbows in, pretend to hold weights in fists with palms up as you bring forearms up and down.)
21-40 - for overhead press (Fists face forwards as you start at your shoulders and push the weights overhead.)
41-60 – side raises (Elbows at 90% angles as you raise them out to the side.)
61-80 – upright rows (Fists together close to the body and raise elbows out and up until fists are at your heart.)
81-100 – frontal raises - (Fists together and arms stiff as you raise them in front of your body to eye level.)
Whew! (Wipe brow!!!)

*Let children get an imaginary jump rope and jump as they count to 100.


Dance and Count
Choose a different dance move for each ten as you count.
1-10 – Disco (Index finger up and down across body.)
11-20 – Hitchhike (Thumb out across body.)
21-30 – Swim (Make swimming motions.)
31-40 – Bollywood (One hand up in circular motion and one down.)
41-50 – Pony (Step from side to side.)
51-60 – Twist (Twist at waist.)
61-70 – Salsa (One arm bent up and other hand on elbow.)
71-80 – Monster (Arms out in front of you.)
81-90 – Bird (Flap your arms like a bird.)
91-100 – Do your own thing!


Math Office (Amanda Green)
Use a pipe cleaner to make an abacus at the top of a pocket folder. Put a hundreds chart, shapes, or whatever you are studying in the office.
*You could even do five beads of each color like rekenrek.
Hint! Let them put papers they are working on in the left pocket and papers they have
finished in the right pocket.

ACTIVE LEARNING - COUNT ON!

Exercise those bodies and those brains with these counting games.

Karate Chop Count
Feet out, knees bent, karate chop with your right hand and then your left as you count by ones.
*Do leg curls and chops as you count by 5’s to 100
*Kick front and back as you count by 10’s to 200.
*Wax on, wax off as you count by 100’s to 1000. 

*You can also karate chop spelling words and word wall words. Chop with right hand as you say a letter and then chop with the left hand as you say a letter. Hands folded together and bow as you say the word.

Pump Up to 100
Pretend to hold weights as you count.
1-20 - bicep curls (Elbows in, pretend to hold weights in fists with palms up as you bring forearms up and down.)
21-40 - for overhead press (Fists face forwards as you start at your shoulders and push the weights overhead.)
41-60 – side raises (Elbows at 90% angles as you raise them out to the side.)
61-80 – upright rows (Fists together close to the body and raise elbows out and up until fists are at your heart.)
81-100 – frontal raises - (Fists together and arms stiff as you raise them in front of your body to eye level.)
Whew! (Wipe brow!!!)

*Let children get an imaginary jump rope and jump as they count to 100.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8eep4x14BI


Silly Voice Counting
Have children count using different voices. For example: robot, opera, pirate, monster, teacher, cowboy, monkey, surprised, worried, silly, excited, happy, sad, mad, confused, whisper, sleepy, and scared.

*Add holiday or seasonal voices like a scarecrow (reads words in a scary voice), ghost (students say “boo” after each word), witch (read with a cackle while stirring a pot), Rudolph (students flash their hands like blinking lights as they read the word), Frosty (students shiver as they read the words) or Santa (students must say the words three times in a “ho,ho,ho” style), or the Easter bunny (students hop after saying each word).

*Count each "ten" with a different voice.

Numbo
Draw the face of a worm (Numbo) on a circle or paper plate. Cut 10-15 circles out of construction paper and number 1-10 or 1-25. Pass the circles out to the children. Place Numbo’s head on the floor and ask the children to help him grow. The child with “1” puts her circle down, followed by “2,” “3,” etc. Ask questions, such as: “What number comes between 7 and 9? What comes before 13? What is 2 more than 4?



Tens and Ones(Ginger McCormick)
(Cadence – Children repeat each line.)
I don’t know but I’ve been told. (Repeat)
Tens are tall and ones are small.
First you count up all the tens.
Then add the ones to the end.

*Pick students to be tens and stand tall. Pick students to be ones and sit criss-cross in front of the tens. Count the tall students by tens. Count the students sitting on the floor by one.


Counting by Two’s (Melanie Hope)
Have students identify body parts what come in sets of two. Stand and county by 2’s as you touch the following body parts:
2 – hands on eyes
4 – hands on ears
6 – hands on elbows
8 – knees
10 – feet
12 – eyes
14 – ears….
You’ll be able to count to 100 by 2’s before you know it!


Whisper Skip Count
One (Touch head as you whisper “one.”)
Two (Touch shoulders and say “two.”)
Three (Touch head and whisper.)
Four (Touch shoulders and say “four.”)
Five (Touch head and whisper.)
Six (Touch shoulders and say “six.”)
Seven (Touch head and whisper.)
Eight (Touch shoulders and say, “eight.”)
Nine (Touch head and whisper.)
Ten (Touch shoulders as you say “ten.”)

*To count by 3’s, touch shoulders and whisper “one,” touch shoulders and whisper “two,” touch waist and say “three.”
*To count by 4’s, whisper on 1-3 and touch knees as you say “four.”
*To count by 5’s, whisper on 1-4 and touch toes as you say “five.”

Shoelace Counting
Write numerals 1-20 on a cotton shoelace with a fabric marker. Slide a bead on the shoelace and move it up and down as you count.
*What’s one more than___? Two less than___?

EXERCISE BREAKS AT HOME OR SCHOOL

Here are some great exercises you can do at home or at school. 

Push the Wall
Have the children put their hands up against the wall and push it as hard as they can. Ask them to do push ups against the wall.


15 Minutes of Walking/Exercising
Whether or not you have a Fitbit, try building 15 minutes of walking each day as you count, sing letter songs, say days of the week, months, spell words, and so forth
Shake Down
This is one of my favorite ways to energize the brain and shake out those wiggles.
 
Hold up your right hand and shake five times as you count.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your left hand and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your right foot and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your left foot and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Count to four with each arm and leg…then three…two…one.End by saying, “Oh yeah!” as you extend your arms and make the letter “Y.”

Brains Go Marching
Children can get an amazing amount of exercise simply by standing and marching in place. Here are some different ways you can march. Can you add to the list?          
 
Power march by swinging arms up and down as you lift your knees high.
March slow and then march fast.
March in a circle and then turn around and march in a circle in the opposite direction.
March like a toy soldier with stiff arms and legs.
March high and then march down low.
March on tippy toes.
Swish arms back and forth like windshield wipers as you march.

Want to march with me?

 

Watch Kids on the March

FITNESS TRAIL

If you missed my FB Live yesterday you

can watch it now:

Watch Little Lessons #5

You can have fun creating a fitness trail with your children where they can exercise as they learn!

                             

WHAT? cardboard rectangles (8” x 10”), markers, tape 

*Hint!  Grocery sacks or food boxes can make great signs.
 
HOW?  Have a family "brainstorming" session where you think of different “body” and “brain” exercises you can do.

For example:
10 jumping jacks
say a nursery rhyme
8 windmills
count backwards from 20
12 squats
name your city, state, and country
15 toe touches
name 5 insects
run in place
sing the ABC’s forwards and then backwards
count by 10’s to 100
hop on one foot – hop on the other foot
say your birthday, address, and phone number

Number the cardboard signs and write a different exercise on each one.  Let the children decorate the signs with markers.


 
Tape the exercises around your backyard and let the fun begin! 




Note!  If the weather is bad or you don't have an outdoor area you can create a similar challenge inside using paper plates.

Weights

You can use water bottles for weights, or just fill an empty bottle with beans or popcorn kernels.  Your kids will LOVE them!
 
                                                                          

BRAIN HOOK UPS

Draw a line from your forehead down the middle of your body. That’s called your midline. The brain is made up of two hemispheres and when you cross that midline it helps both hemispheres of the brain work together. Here are some activities you can do at home that will exercise the brain and release wiggles.

Hint! Place a piece of painter's tape down the children's midline so they can visually see how they cross it as you exercise and learn.

                       
 
Streamers
Attach strips of tissue paper to a craft stick or straw.  Put on some catchy music and use the streamers to dance and cross the midline.
*Make lazy eights in front of you with the tape.
*Use streamers for “invisible writing” as you practice making shapes, letters, numbers, etc.
*Play follow the leader as you take turns making motions. 


Simple Tap
Touch right hand to left knee and left hand to right knee. 
*Say letters of the alphabet, count, read sight words, etc. as you tap.

Bend and Stretch
Lift left knee and touch with right elbow. Lift right knee and touch with left elbow. 

                                                                      
Backwards Touch
Lift left foot behind you and stretch back with right hand and touch. Reverse for the right foot and left hand. 

Catch a Star
Reach with right hand up in the air to your left and pretend to catch a star. Then reach with your left hand up in the air to your right and catch a star. 

Pat on the Back 
Alternate patting the back of your left shoulder with your right hand and your right shoulder with your left hand. 

Karate Chops 
Spread your feet apart and bend your knees. Alternate hands making karate chops as you skip count by ones, fives, tens, etc.

*Spell the letters in words and then fold hands and bow as you say the word.  



JUMP UP, TURN AROUND, AND CROSS THE MIDLINE WITH ME!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slVzDBKyxIo  

BALANCE FOR THE BRAIN

Did you know that balancing is good for your brain?  It strengthens the core and helps you focus.  You can practice balancing if you are a young child, school ager, teenager, parent, or older adult.  It's something the whole family can do TOGETHER!  Besides, you don't need any equipment or special space. 

Note!  Experts say that just like any sport the more you practice balancing the better you will become.  Balance daily for a week and you might be surprised!


Balancing Brains
Have children stand. How long can they balance on their right foot? How long can they balance on their left foot?

Can they balance on their toes?

Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg in the air?

Can they balance on their left foot and extend their right leg in the air.

Can they balance on one foot with their eyes closed?
 
Can they balance on one foot and count? Count by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, etc.
 
Can they balance on one foot and say a nursery rhyme or their ABC's?
 
Can they balance and say the days of the week, months of the year, seasons, and so forth?



Balancing Act

Watch Balancing Act

Here's a video where you can practice balancing with me.
Balancing Act
Feet together, close your eyes, (Close eyes breath in and out.)
And breath slowly in and out.
Open your eyes, (Balance on left foot.)
Lift your right foot and balance on the left.
Put your arms out straight. (Arms out wide as you balance.)
Now reach for the stars. (Arms up in the air as you balance.)...

Now close your eyes and slowly breath in and out.
Let your mind take you to a happy place.