BRAIN TOYS

Today you’ll find are some simple props your students can use for brain breaks. I’d make one each week and use it every day for a different movement.

Streamers - Staple strips of tissue paper (18” x 1”) to a straw and invite children to follow along as you make cross lateral movements to music.
*Make rainbows across your head with your right hand and then your left hand.
*Make big circles in front of your body with your right hand and then your left hand.
*Make “lazy” eights (8 on it’s side) with your right hand and then your left hand.
*Clasp hands and make rainbows, circles, and lazy eights.

Hint! Children can also use surveying tape of 3’ sections of toilet paper as streatmers.

Paper Ball Juggling - Begin by having children wad up a piece of scrap paper.
*Can they toss it and catch it?

*Can they play catch with a friend?
*Can they toss it, clap, and then catch it?
*How many times can they toss it without dropping it?
*Can they toss it from the right hand to the left and vice versa.
*Add a second paper ball and let the fun begin!
Hint! You can make inexpensive juggling scarves by cutting net fabric into 12” squares.


Paper Plates – Give each child two paper plates.
*Can they clap them to the beat, make rainbows, use them like cymbals, or make other movements?
*Place the plates on the floor and put a foot on each plate. Now you’re ready to skate by sliding your feet.


Drum Sticks - Who doesn’t want to be a drummer? Children can use cardboard rollers from paper towel rolls, popsicle sticks, or pencils like drumsticks to tap the beat of the music.

               

*Make pattern cards for children to follow along. Vertical lines mean tap the sticks on the table or floor. “X” means to cross sticks and tap. __ means to hold sticks up and pause.

SMALL MOTOR

WHY?

As children play with table toys and manipulatives they develop small muscles, eye-hand coordination, attention span, social skills, language, and they learn how to begin and complete a task. They also build concepts about size, shape, color and patterns.

Materials

Table and chairs

Puzzles

Beads

Sewing cards

Pegboard

Dressing toys

Nuts and bolts

Scissors

Pattern cards

Playing cards

Puzzle rack

Lacing activities

Nesting toys

Locks and keys

Take-apart toys

Hole punch

Play dough and props

Parquetry blocks

Paper and pencils

Clay

Board games

Snap toys

Hint! Encourage children to wash their hands before and after using small motor materials.

PATTY CAKE PLAY

WHY PATTY CAKE?

Patty cake is a great brain break when children are restless.

When you patty cake you cross the midline which activates both sides of the brain.

It's good for eye-hand coordination.

It's TPR - Total Physical Response - motor skills and oral language.

Patty cake encourages self-regulation and the executive function.

It nurtures 21st century skills - cooperation, collaboration, and communication.

You've got purposeful practice for automaticity (aka repetition) because children will want to do it over and over.

How about INTENTIONAL TEACHING? Choose words or skills you are working on and integrate them into this movement game.

It's free, simple, environmentally friendly, sugar-free...Doesn't get much better than that!!

What skills can you practice?

In addition to traditional hand clap chants like "Miss Mary Mack," you can practice these skills.

Sight Words
Children face a partner. They say the word as they clap. They cross and tap partner’s hands on each letter. Then high five and say the word in the air.
the (clap hands)
t (right hand)
h (left hand)
e (right hand)
the (high five)

Letters and Sounds
Clap right hands and say a letter. Cross left hands and make the sound.
A (right hand)
/a/ (left hand)
B (right hand)
/b/ (left hand)
C through Z

Counting
Count by one’s, five’s, ten’s, etc.

Nursery Rhymes
Patty cake nursery rhymes.
*Use the tune to "100 Bottles of Pop on the Wall" or "Yankee Doodle.)

Math Facts
Say addends and then high five the sum.
3 (right hand)
plus (left hand)
4 (right hand)
equals (left hand)
7 (high five)
Here's a patty cake video I made several (well, many) years ago with my grandson.



http://bit.ly/drjeanPattyCakePlay

FINGER GYM

One teacher said at the beginning of the school year she asks her students these questions:

How many of you have your own television?

How many of you have your own computer?

How many of you have your own pair of scissors?

It's not surprising that the majority of the children raise their hands to answer the first few questions, but very few have their own pair of scissors. Most children are pretty good at tap and swipe, but they definitely need more activities to engage their small muscles. Here are some "hands-on" ways to send those little fingers to the gym.

*Note!  These would be great to send home to families.

Tearing Tub - Place tissue paper, wrapping paper, construction paper scrapes, etc. in a plastic tub and encourage the children to tear them. Can they make confetti? Can they tear shapes and use them to make a collage?

Cutting Pool - Put paper scraps, junk mail, catalogs, etc. in an old plastic swimming pool. Add some safety scissors and cut, cut, cut.
*Children will also enjoy decorative scissors.
*It’s also fun to cut up leftover cooked spaghetti noodles.

Hole Punch - Using a hole punch with paper, cards, or paper plates will strengthen small muscles.

Stringing - Children can string cereal with holes, beads, cut up straws, large buttons, or pasta.

*Use old shoelaces, dental floss, or string with the ends wrapped in tape.

Penny Pick Up - Lay 3 pennies on the table for children to pick up with one hand. Can they place the pennies back on the table one at a time? Can they pick up the pennies with the opposite hand?

Clothespins - Have children pick up pompoms or cotton balls with a spring clothespin and put them in a bowl.

Pouring - Give children pitchers and other containers in a water tub to practice pouring.

Sand Play - A sandbox is a natural place where children can dig, mold, pour, and wiggle little fingers.

Play Dough - Add cookie cutters, scissors, plastic hammers, and other objects for further exploration.

Tongs & Tweezers - Give children tongs to move small toys or other objects from one plate to another.

Sewing - Provide children with sewing cards or make your own from old greeting cards and cereal boxes.

Lids- Fill small jars and plastic containers with small toys. Children get to remove the lids, open the containers, take out the objects, and then reseal them. It’s like opening presents!

Construction Toys - Blocks, Legos, and similar materials enable children to use small muscles, as well as their imaginations.

Baby Dolls - Dressing dolls will utilize small muscles. Washing doll clothes and other toys is also fun.

Puzzles & Pegboards - Offer children puzzles, pegboards, and other table toys where they can develop small motor skills.

Art - Painting, drawing, pasting, and other art activities will get little hands ready to write.

Shaving Cream - A sure winner for all times is a squirt of shaving cream on desks or tables. Children can make designs, draw, or write. You’ll get tabletops and hands clean as the children have fun!

PATTY CAKE SKILLS

Play, learn, and have fun with a Friend!

Here's a video I made with my grandson K.J. over 15 years ago.
(Wish I still looked like that!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpuDZ1DNl4I

Nursery Rhymes
Patty cake nursery rhymes.
*Use the tune to "100 Bottles of Pop on the Wall" or "Yankee Doodle.)

Letters and Sounds
Clap right hands and say a letter. Cross left hands and make the sound.
A (right hand)
/a/ (left hand)
B (right hand)
/b/ (left hand)
C through Z
Counting
Count by one’s, five’s, ten’s, etc.
Sight Words
Children face a partner. They say the word as they clap. They cross and tap partner’s hands on each letter. Then high five and say the word in the air.
the (clap hands)
t (right hand)
h (left hand)
e (right hand)
the (high five)

Math Facts
Say addends and then high five the sum.
3 (right hand)
plus (left hand)
4 (right hand)
equals (left hand)
7 (high five)



http://bit.ly/drjeanMaryMack