Children have amazing energy. Their seemingly endless supply of ‘go’ can be used to develop large muscle control, usually called gross motor coordination. Gross motor activities include jumping, running, hopping, rolling, dancing, twisting, tumbling, pushing, and more. Because children’s muscles are growing and developing it’s important for them to have opportunities to move and explore what they can do. Wouldn’t it be great if we could use that energy? The song Hokey-Pokey exists in many languages. Use whatever one your child understands and adapt the words. Here’s some suggestions to this favorite tune. Vary the work ones with some fun ones and help enhance your child’s gross motor skills at the same time.
You put your toy-oys in the toy-oy box. You put your toy-oys in the toy-oy box. You pick them all up and you put them away, and that’s what its all about. Yeah.
You hop on one foot and the other one, too. You hop on one foot and the other one, too. You jump back and forth and side to side, and that’s what its all about. Yeah.
You put the dirty clothes in the laundry basket. You put the dirty clothes in the laundry basket. You pick them up and you pop them in, and that’s what its all about. Yeah.
You make 2 big circles with your straight arms. You make 2 big circles with your straight arms. You put your arms out straight and circle them around and that’s what its all about. Yeah
You put the dish-es in the dish-hwasher. You put the dish-es in the dish-hwasher. You clear the table and you put the dishes in, and that’s what its all about. Yeah.
Now, the work’s all done and we’re ready to play. The work’s all done and we’re ready to play. We’ll have a little rest and maybe a snack, and that’s what its all about. Yeah.