The Floppy Flipper! Handmade Fun!

No glue, no scissors, no messy paint! Set out some simple art materials and let the children create an all-time favorite toy of unlimited play value–The Floppy Flipper!

This handmade piece of simple equipment costs pennies to make, is fun to play with and the benefits are priceless…promoting eye hand coordination, striking skills, crossing the midline, vestibular stimulation, spatial awareness, cooperation and creativity. This is the perfect gift to “give” to your child or the children in your care. More importantly, you can play with them…giving them the best gift of all…your time and participation!

A paint stick and packaging tape can be found at the local hardware store. Add a balloon or a small beach ball and let the games begin!

Materials Needed:2 White Paper Plates (thin and uncoated) per Floppy Flipper (DIXIE)
Paint Sticks (1 per Floppy Flipper)
Clear Packaging Tape
Crayons
Washable Markers
Colorations® Washable Chubbie Markers (CHUBBERS)
Colorations Washable Stamp Pads (STAMPADS)
Stampers
Stickers
Stapler (BVST) and Staples (5000)
Balloon or Beach Ball (DYOBALL)
Colorations® Permanent Markers (PERMBLK)
Let’s Get Started:1. Using a couple of pieces of clear packaging tape, tape the paint stick to the middle of one paper plate.

2. Give each child another paper plate and ask him or her to decorate it with the available art materials.

3. When the child is finished, staple the plate to the plate which you’ve taped to a paint stick.
4. Have the child write or stamp their name on the paint stick handle.

5. The Floppy Flipper is now ready to be played with!

Floppy Flipper Wimbledon:Have each child pick a balloon, blow it up (or have it blown up) and tie it. Suggest they write their name on the balloon with a permanent marker. Instead of a balloon have the child decorate their own small beach ball (available at Discount School Supply®).
Let the children explore and play with their Floppy Flippers and balloons. Ask them to find out…

• How high can they hit their balloon?
• How far can they hit the balloon?
• How many times in a row can they hit the balloon (How about five?!!)
• How long can they keep their balloon in the air?
• Can they hit their balloon, spin around, then hit it again?

As the children become more proficient, ask them to try to keep a balloon in the air by hitting it back and forth with a partner. Now they’re playing Floppy Flipper Wimbledon!

Suggest they change partners once or twice.

As a further challenge for older kids, have them attempt to keep two balloons in the air by themselves or with partners!

REMEMBER: Balloons ALWAYS require adult supervision. Always use helium quality balloons or sturdy punch ball balloons. Do not use fragile party balloons. You can cover balloons using knee hi stockings, pantyhose or any fruit mesh sacks (citrus, watermelon, cantaloupe). Should the balloon pop, the covering prevents burst balloon shards from being inhaled by children.

Discount School Supply® Product Recommendations:9” White Paper Plates (DIXIE)
Decorate Your Own Beach Ball (DYOBALL)
Colorations® Regular Crayons (CRS16)
Colorations® Washable Scented Markers (SNIFFY)
Colorations® Mini Dabber Dot Markers (DABDOT)
Colorations® Jumbo Washable Stamp Pad (BIGSTAMP)
Colorations® Uppercase Stamping Sticks (ABCSTK)
Colorations® Lowercase Stamping Sticks (LOWER)
Animal Stamping Sticks (ANISTIX)
Super Stamping Sticks (STICKS)
Assorted Stickers ((2088)
Stapler and Staples (BVST and 5000)
Colorations® Color Permanent Markers (PERMCLR)

Alligator in the Swamp

Toddlers to preschoolers will enjoy letting their imaginations “run wild” as they take a trip over a bridge (carrying a baby doll, animal or other object) crossing a swamp where a hungry alligator lives. Children are to walk the beam and put the object they are holding into a basket at the other end of the beam. When crossing the “swamp” children chant, “I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking across the swamp. I hope that alligator doesn’t go chomp.” Explain that the alligator who lives in the swamp will not bother the children as long as they stay on the beam and don’t drop anything that they are carrying. If they do drop something or step off the beam, the alligator (you) will chase them until they deposit everything they are carrying in the basket. This is play with a purpose — promoting physical, cognitive and social emotional development. What fun…and learning!

Materials and Set Up:
1. Low Balance Beam (248) – a bridge over a swamp (floor) where a hungry alligator lives.
2. Variety of safe objects to carry—soft babies, plastic animals, beanbags, blocks, etc.
3. Basket or bucket placed at far end of balance beam.
4. Adult to role play alligator moving around in open space (swamp).

Lets Get Started:
1. Give child one object.
2. Ask child to walk (heel-toe) across the balance beam slowly carrying the soft object, chanting, “I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking across the swamp. I hope that alligator doesn’t go chomp.”
3. When child reaches end of the beam they are to toss or drop the object into the basket.
4. Explain to children that they should not step off the beam or drop anything into the swamp (floor) because the hungry alligator (adult with extended arms moving up and down like alligator’s jaws) will chase them until they put what they are carrying into the basket.

Furthermore:
1. Give children more things to carry each time they attempt to walk across the alligator swamp.
2. Ask children to carry beanbags balanced on their heads and shoulders.
3. Have children move across the balance beam using other modes of travel. Continue by interjecting other movements such as: “I’m swimming, I’m swimming, I’m swimming across the swamp. I hope that alligator doesn’t go chomp.” Can also do tip toeing, jumping etc.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
1. Gross motor coordination—using the trunk and large muscles and limbs of the body—to walk with legs and hold and toss items with arms and hands. Gross motor movement is the predecessor to fine motor skills that are required for formal school work.
2. Dynamic Balance—being able to hold the position of the body when the body is moving—walking across the balance beam. Self-control is important for learning.
3. Eye hand coordination—eyes and hands working together to toss the beanbag into the basket. Eyes and hands need to work together in order to write.
4. Imagery—formation of mental images by memory, imagination or fancy—pretending to cross a bridge over a swamp inhabited by an alligator. Imagination is the precursor to intellectual development.
5. Self-confidence—faith in oneself and one’s own abilities—children can cross balance beam and deliver the object without dropping it.

Product Recommendations:
Balance Beam (248)
Step-A-Logs (STEPLOG)
Beanbags (MEGABEAN and CBB)
Plastic Animals (BABYFARM and BABYZOO)
Multicultural Velour Soft Babies (ALL4BY)
Soft Velour Blocks (VLRBLK)
Willow Baskets (WILLOW)

Round, Round, Round, Round…I Run Around

A ball is round and invites play with a partner or a group of friends. Let’s go outside, and play an active game that combines kicking a ball, as in soccer, and running around bases, as in baseball. No wonder kickball is sometimes called soccer-baseball.

Kickball for Little Kids

There are no outs or fouls in this preschool friendly game, just a lot of kicking and running.

Materials Needed:
Rubber playground ball
3 Bases and 1 Home Plate
10 Colored Cones

Set Up:
• Playing field – grass, dirt, asphalt or cement
• Place bases and home plate in the same general arrangement as you would a baseball diamond but make the base paths much closer to each other (i.e., 20 feet apart)
• 2 or more adults/play leaders
Let’s Get Started:
1. Gather children and have them watch and listen as directions of how to play are demonstrated.
2. An adult/play leader places the ball on home plate.
3. One child stands or approaches and kicks the ball as hard as he/she can.
4. Children who are not “kickers” can position themselves near the basesto catch the ball that is kicked into the playing field,
5. The “kicker” runs around the bases and returns to home plate.
6. The game continues until every child has had a turn or “runs out of breath.”
7. Every child is a winner when they cross home plate! Be assured that they will want to kick the ball and run the bases again and again. This is play with a purpose and promotes coordination and lots of vigorous physical activity!

Furthermore:
• As children become more skillful, the adult/play leader can roll the ball to the child at home plate and the child stands and kicks the ball that is rolled at them.

Recommended Products:
SETC – Colored Cones
BASES – Indoor/Outdoor Bases
PGSET – Playground Balls
KICKBALL – Kickball for all Ages
BALLKIT – Ultimate Ball Kit

Trick or Treat Halloween Game

The element of suspense combined with movement makes this a spooktacular active Halloween game. Will you pick a “Treat” or have to do a “Trick?”

Materials needed:
Jack-o-Lantern Bucket or decorated Trick or Treat Bag
Orange construction paper
Pumpkin cookie cutter or stencil shape
Halloween stickers
Pen or markers
Scissors
Halloween music

Before You Begin:
1. Trace and cut pumpkin shapes out of orange construction paper. Have as many pumpkin shapes as the number of children playing plus a few more.
2. On half of the pumpkins place a Halloween sticker on one side of the paper shape and on the other side write the word “Treat.”
3. On the other pumpkin shapes write the word “Trick” on one side and a movement or exercise on the other side. Here are some ideas…
Do 10 jumping jacks
Flap your wings (arms) and fly like a bat
On hands and feet scamper like a spider
Touch your toes 10 times
Float (leap) like a ghost
Move like an elephant
Jump like a frog 10 times
Walk like Frankenstein
Hop on one foot 10 times
Gallop like a horse
Creep (on hands and knees) like a cat
Spin around 5 times
Slither (on your belly) like a snake

Let’s Get Started:
1. Have children sit in a circle.
2. Show children all the pumpkin shapes before placing them in the “Jack-o-Lantern Bucket” or “Trick or Treat Bag.”
3. When the music starts, pass around the bucket/bag.
4. When the music stops, the child that is holding the bag removes a pumpkin shape.
5. If the pumpkin shape has a sticker on it, it is a “Treat,” and the child does not have to do anything.
6. If the pumpkin shape is marked “Trick,” the child must perform the movement or exercise written on the paper (standing in the middle of the circle or moving around the outside of the circle of children).
7. The music starts again and the bag/bucket is passed. The game continues until everyone has had a turn.

Furthermore:
1. Let the children help in determining what movements to write on the “Trick” pumpkin shapes. 2. Do not read the “Trick” out loud. Instead, have the children in the circle guess what “Trick” is being performed by the child.

Hit the Deck! Shipwreck!

Let’s pretend… and get physically active while playing this fun, non-competitive game.

Materials and Set-Up:
Indoor or outdoor space with boundaries using cones or Hop Around Steps.
Tumbling mat(s) placed in center of playing area designated as “the ship.”

Let’s Get Started:
1. Children watch and listen as directions of how to play are demonstrated.
2. The teacher or game leader is designated as the Captain.
3. Commands will be given by the Captain and the children are to react quickly as members of the ship’s crew. (The mats are the ship.)
4. On the command HIT THE DECK all children are to sit cross-legged on the mat.
5. On the command SHIPWRECK all children leave the mat and pretend-swim in the open sea (the space around the mat).
6. On the command LIFEBOATS children leave mat and find a partner. They sit down with legs apart and feet touching. They hold hands across from one another and sing “‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat” as they rock back and forth, pretending to row their lifeboat.
7. On the command SEAGULLS children leave mat and stand in open space with legs apart, arms waving and flapping overhead, making a squawking noise.
8. On the command SCRUB THE DECK children go to mat and get on hands and knees and pretend to clean in a scrubbing action.
9. On the command CAPTAIN’S COMING children stand to attention facing the teacher/game leader and salute.
10. On the command SHARKS children run to the middle of the mat and do a group hug or huddle without pushing or grabbing.

Goals:
1. Physical activity = any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure.
2. Health-related fitness = components of physical fitness that are related in a positive manner to health and well-being: cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition.
3. Gross motor skills = using the large muscles of the arms, legs and trunk.
4. Listening skills = ability to follow verbal directions.
5. Space awareness = knowing where the body can and should move in relationship to other people in the play space.
6. Agility = quick, easy, lively movements.
7. Cooperative play = games and activities that the participants play together rather than against one another.

Furthermore:
1. Introduce the game using only 3-4 commands; add others after children become familiar with the game.
2. Vary the length of time between commands.
3. Try to trick children by repeating a command twice in a row.
4. Let children take turns being Captain and giving commands.
5. Children may devise other commands and actions.
6. A parachute can also be used as the ship, instead of tumbling mats.

Drawing Relay

Keeping kids up and active can be a challenge during the school day, but the following activity, courtesy of TeacherQuickSource, is a great way to incorporate movement into a fun, creative arts activity. This is easy to set up can be done indoors or out, which makes it great for any season!

Drawing Relay

Materials Needed:
A large piece of butcher paper or large individual sheets for each team
Crayons or markers
A large area for a group relay activity

Let’s Get Started:

1. Divide the children into 4-5 teams so that there are only 3-4 people on each team.
2. Attach the butcher paper, or individual sheets for each team, to a wall, fence or other barrier.
3. Tell the children that one person from each team is going to go up to the paper and begin drawing a picture.
4. At the end of 30 seconds, the teacher will blow a whistle. At that time, the child will run back and give the crayon to the next person on his team. That person then runs up and continues drawing.
5. This relay should continue until each child has had two turns.
6. Take down the pictures and have the teams discuss what they drew.

Morning Moving Routines

Get the blood flowin’ and brains growin’ when you begin each day with some physical activity! The start of a new school year is a great time to establish a daily morning routine that gets kids up on their feet and out of their seats. Here are some of my favorite ideas for active starts to the school day:

Super Hero Exercises
With a little imagination and your verbal cues, children will be smiling and moving as they perform each exercise. Count to ten aloud as you do each one with the children.

Superman Stretch: children attempt to keep their balance while up on their tiptoes with arms stretched over their heads. (Imagine: “Superman is flying!”)

Batman Bounce: children jump in place with feet together 10 times as they count aloud to ten. (Imagine: “Batman is jumping into his Batmobile!”)

Robin Run: children run in place as they count to 10 aloud. (Imagine: “Robin is running to catch up with Batman. Wait for me Batman!”)

Spiderman Swivel: children stand with feet are shoulder width apart. Twist from side to side with arms and hands moving across the body. (Imagine: “Spiderman is throwing his web!”)

Wonder Woman Windmills: children stand in with feet shoulder width apart and arms are stretched out to the side. Use the hand of one side of the body to touch the foot on the opposite side. To help children perform this movement say, “Turn, touch toes, and up!” “Up!” means body is in a standing tall position. Repeat instructions several times with children using opposite hands to touch opposite toes. (Imagine: “Wonder Woman is getting her Magic Lasso!”)

The As-If Game
Have the children act out each sentence:
1. Jump in place as if…. you are popcorn popping
2. Walk forward as if… you are walking through glue
3. Jog in place as if… a big, scary bear is chasing you
4. Shake your body as if… you are a wet dog
5. Move your feet on the floor as if… you are ice skating
6. Reach up as if… grabbing balloons out of the air
7. March in place and play the drums as if… you are in a marching band
8. Swim as if… you are being chased by a shark

9. Move your arms as if… you were juggling scarves

Ask the children to create their own “As-If” sentences for the group to act out.

These activities can be great fun for the young children in your classroom or home. Are you an early childhood educator or parent with an idea for an active start of the day activity? I invite you to share your favorite ideas, too!

Want To Have Fun? STOMP ON IT!

I’ve been using a stomp board (also known as a launch board) for over 25 years! It is a must-have, and one of the kids’ all time favorite item for active play! I’ve used it in the classroom as well as at children’s birthday parties and citywide children’s festivals. I use them in obstacle courses inside (on carpet or linoleum) or outside (on cement, grass, etc.) As far as I’m concerned, every classroom could use at least two stomp boards! Discount School Supply carries one called the Joey Jump. In my opinion it really is superior compared to the wood ones I’ve used in the past. The Joey Jump is lightweight, plastic, comes with two bean bags and can be used by both preschoolers and school-age children.

The board is designed for a stomp—forceful step with one foot (not an actual jump)– on the short end, propelling into the air a soft object (i.e. bean bag) was placed on the other end. The child then tries to catch the object that was launched off the board when they stomped. Because of the design and incline of the board, the object does not go shooting off randomly but propels straight up off the board and the child with outstretched arms can try to catch it in his/her hands.

Children must concentrate on getting their hands ready to catch the beanbag and focus on watching the beanbag as it moves through the air. Children should first focus on attempting to catch the beanbag with both hands at the same time, then try with the right and the left hand alone. As children get better at catching, other challenges can be added such as: stomping more firmly on the board so the beanbag goes higher; attempting to catch two beanbags at the same time; and launching and catching other items such as a foam ball, fleece ball, sensory ball and even a small stuffed animal.

I also like using foam dice with the stomp boards. Kids can put the die on the end, stomp and launch the die. Ask the child what number is facing up when he/she catches it. When using dice, we are not only working on the fundamental motor skill of catching but also addressing the core standard of mathematics–number concepts, counting and geometry (the die is a cube). The stomp board promotes physical development with the use of eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, gross/fine motor skills, and it promotes social/emotional development: self-confidence and independence.

Kids love to do the stomp board over and over again as they try to catch the bean bag or sensory ball. It does take them a couple of times to get the hang of it, but once they do—they are self-motivated to experience THE FUN over and over again!