St. Patrick’s Day means that it’s almost spring. Kids seem to be made of them — springs , that is — at this time of the year. Days are certainly longer especially with the time change, but are not always warm enough or dry enough to be outside. And all that energy needs to move. Here’s a way to put it to good use and promote physical development and kindergarten readiness, too.
Find a safe place for lots of moving. What are some different ways to move? Spring, jump, leap, walk, run, roll, crawl, hop, slither, dance, twirl, twist, fly, etc. Children need to explore all kinds of movement to develop both their large (gross) muscle skills and coordination, and awareness of their body’s position in space. Keeping the leaping and springing to one area can be tricky and it seems that constant reminders are needed to walk not run inside. Nevertheless, kids seem to have more springs this month than king-sized beds. Plus, the moving is good for growing both bodies and brains and that promotes readiness for kindergarten.
Q. What season is it on a trampoline? A. Spring time!