I am passionate about putting into teacher’s and children’s hands materials that promote physical activity and learning. Excellerations™ Get Up and Go! Dice does just that and is a quality product from Discount School Supply®.
The Excellerations™ Get Up and Go! Dice set includes:
- 2 dice with pockets on all sides
- 20 different movement activity cards
- 12 numeral cards (2 each of the numbers 1-6)
- 12 dice dot cards (2 each of the dots numbering 1-6)
- 12 blank cards
The two large seven-inch vinyl-covered foam dice have pockets on all six sides that hold activity and number cards. Insert six different activity cards in each of the pockets on one die. On the other die put the numeral cards, either showing the dots or the numeral. Depending on the developmental skills level of the children, I use the numeral cards for numbers 1, 2, and 3 and the dot cards for numbers 4, 5, and 6. Young children may not recognize the larger numerals, but they are usually able to count the dots or “pips.” Did you know that the dots on dice are called “pips?” The word “pip” commonly means a “spot” or a “speck,” and perhaps that’s why the dots on dice, as well as dominoes, are called pips. Don’t shy away from the big word, i.e., “pips” for “dots.” It is very common for adults to simplify their language when talking to young children. Throwing in a new word now and then is a great opportunity to build vocabulary! If you’re going to explain what something is, you might as well use the proper word the first time. Children may not always pick up on those big words, but they certainly won’t if they don’t ever hear them. So go ahead, use words like “identical” instead of “same” and “pips” instead of “dots.” You’ll be surprised at what the children will pick up on when you give them the chance!
Here is a fun favorite activity that I like to play indoors or outside. You’ll find more ideas in the Activity Guide that comes with it.
Roll the Dice for Exercise
How to play:
- Sit children in a large circle.
- One child is chosen to roll the dice.
- Child with dice stands up and rolls the dice into the middle of the circle.
- The child identifies the activity to be performed and the number of times to perform the activity by counting the pips or stating the number shown on the die.
- All children in the circle stand up and perform the activity that is lead by the child who rolled the dice. All the children are to count as they perform the movement.
- When finished, the child who had rolled the dice gives it to another child who continues the game by rolling the dice and leading the group in the movement activity that is shown on the movement die and counting the number of times they are to do the activity (as shown on the number die).
- The game ends when every child has had a chance to “Roll the Dice for Exercise.”
Suggestions & Variations:
- If the child who rolled the die has difficulty counting, let the group count the dots or pips out loud on the number die, as the child points to them.
- Take pictures of the children doing a favorite movement activity (i.e., jumping jacks, jogging in place, etc.) and adhere it to a blank card. This personalizes it to the group of children in your classroom.
- This activity is also a great one to use when children are in transition –i.e., waiting for the bus or their group’s turn, etc.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
- Physical activity: any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure
- Gross motor skills: using the large muscles of the arms, legs and trunk
- Cooperative play: games and activities that the participants play together rather than against one another
- Listening skills: ability to follow verbal directions
- Language development: speaking, communicating
- Mathematics: number sense of quantity and counting; one-to-one correspondence
- Social emotional development: taking turns; promotes children’s self-esteem and confidence
Get active, get moving, get healthy…and start rolling the Excellerations™ Get Up and Go! Dice. Everyone will be a winner!
Sharin' with Sharron 