Play: Feet First

Play can bring children's feet into action with their stream of:

• running
• skipping
• sliding
• galloping
• hopping
• jumping
• landing
• scooting
• bounding

A list of words to describe motion in youngsters is almost endless.
And then by adding another layer of movement: qualities of action, we see:

• slow
• fast
• rapid
• staccato
• gently
• abruptly
• choppy

Again, the words that describe the qualities of movement vary as widely as the globe.
Movement exploration opens doors of self-awareness and mastery of motion.

So, when your children or students are active in play, whether on a playground or in an open room space, use those minutes to not only give your children opportunities to release their energy but to gain knowledge about controlling their bodies.
Their feet are a powerful route for information from attempts to move, balance and ascend from the ground...those experiences deliver showers of good information to the brain!
In the action of playing, kids learn to move. And as they move they build thousands of pathways between muscle and their mind.
These neural pathways serve their immediate needs to get from here to there but in practicing motion while playing, these information highways become established as channels for information transfer for:

• Cognitive gains
• Motor sequencing
• Perceptual sensory integration
• Body awareness/kinesthetic learning

Quick skill practice, which can be done on the playground or indoors:

Open the BARN DOORS!

1. Ask the child to place their feet, side-by-side: Big Toes Kissing!
2. Then suggest that under their feet are tons of farm animals, in a BARN.
3. Ask them to 'swing' their toes apart, keep their heels touching.
4. Then placing weight on the balls of their feet, 'swing' their HEELS apart.
5. This series of foot motions will cause their feet to move to the SIDES.
6. Alternate 'toes swings' and 'heel swings' to GET the farm animals out of the BARN.
7. Then reverse the actions to herd the animals in to the BARN, at night.

This activity will build awareness of the sole of the foot and the subtle weight shifts that can give a child control of their body.
Let's remember that PLAY is a great way to both:

• Learn to Move and
• Learn to LEARN

If you are teaching youngsters and may need a curriculum to guide preschoolers movement development, perhaps the KidSKILLS Movement and Sports Training series of Manuals would give you a progressively organized plan. 

There is a complete curriculum from Play Builds Kids to guide you own children or students.

Yoga Stretches for Children

Yoga stretches give a satisfaction!  Try bringing your children both the awareness of their spine and their alignment while educating them about a basic yoga posture.

The Child's Pose can be a natural extension the Kidskills Training Program. The back exercise called: Old Nag! Mad Cat! teaches the youngster to maintain a solid position while standing on their hands and knees.

The basic stand on the hands and knees should have their hands place shoulder width apart with all their fingers pointing forward. Take time to look at their back before their start the action.
While keeping legs solid and arms straight the child acts like a Mad Cat, arching their spine, then ask them to drop their back [rib cage] and act like an Old Nag! This recruits the back and the supporting muscles. The brain gets lots of stimulation too!

Coordination blooms and embeds!

 NOW, add the yoga stretch, Child's Pose!  Ask the child to move from the hands and knees postion to a position sitting on their heels. Keep their arms l-o-n-g with their palms glued to the floor - just where they started.

The knees and feet are held, side-by-side and the head is touching the floor. Let them hold the position for a minute. It will feel satisfying and will be an exercise that they will return to...over their lifetime.

The Kidskills Movement and Training Series is available as eBooks for Nook, Kindles, and iPads.

A lifetime skill...what a great legacy to give to your children. The JOY of movement!!

Yoga Stretch: Child's Pose

This position will lengthen the spine and will feel excellent. You can do it alongside your child. Take a minute or two to rest in this Child's Pose.

If you find this activity useful for your children, there is a series of six KidSKILLS Movement and Sports Training

Manuals available for Nooks, Kindles, and iPad.

Source: kidskills.com via Diane on Pinterest