Physical Development

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack to Go

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With some of the backpack monster snack we made yesterday, a hat for the sun, a jacket, and of course a backpack, your child is ready to go…to the playground. A playground has all kinds of opportunities to practice and develop readiness for kindergarten.

  • Time at the playground is more than working off energy. Whether or not your child knows how to pump the swing, the back and forth motion is a basic rhythm. The slide is up/down. There’s climbing, jumping, running, pushing, pulling, etc. Coordination, timing and position in space are a few more.
  • Playing in the playground is not just good for kids’ physical development but social, too. For instance, sharing equipment, waiting a turn, interacting with others.
  • Many children learn to overcome their fears about trying something new as they venture to play on the equipment, and other emotional challenges.
  • There’s lots of things to count at the playground: steps, swings, number of times, etc. And lots of things to talk about and new words to learn.

Backpacks and playgrounds make a terrific pair to help support children for kindergarten readiness.

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpacks Rock

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Backpacks not only rock, they bubble and fly, too. Using imagination they can. For a physical development and readiness for kindergarten activity you and your child can pretend that you are moving with a backpack that’s filled with all different kinds of things.

Using imagination muscles as well as body ones, you and your child can pretend that the backpack is full of heavy, heavy rocks. Would your body move oh so slowly and only a very little bit? Change the load and fill it with feathers, light as can be. With feathers, you can fly–as long as there is enough room to be safe. Some other ideas are bubbles, marshmallows, and bouncy springs. How does your body move now? Try bricks or elephants! Maybe the backpack is part of a space suit for moving in outer space where there is no gravity. Or maybe it’s full of goldfish bowls and you will have to be very, very careful so as not to spill their water. What other things can your child suggest? After all that exercise, maybe the backpacks are full of soft blankets for taking a nap.

In only a few minutes, your child has had some practice coordinating different kinds of body movement, imagining, playing, using descriptive language and developing several other kindergarten readiness skills. Sometimes real backpacks have loads that are too heavy but these pretend ones are full of fun! What’s in your backpacks?

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Learning Fun At Home/Laundry

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Previous blog posts were about sorting the laundry for some readiness for kindergarten language fun and some basic learning about size and colors. Now, that the clothes are washed it’s time to put them away and have some physical activity playtime.

Laundry rooms never seem to be in convenient locations but putting the clothes away doesn’t have to be boring. As you and your child carry some of the clothes instead of just walking, hop down the hall. Pretend the shirts are flying as they swoop into the closet to get put on the hangers. Kids love to  basketball-throw the pairs of socks rolled together into the drawers. Yeah, and the socks score again. The towels can swim, maybe,  to their shelf? Give your child the empty basket and imagine it’s sooo heavy that it takes a long time just to move a step.

Exploring the ways that bodies can move is part of kindergarten readiness. Physical growth is tremendously important at this age and kids need lots of activity for healthy physical development. Putting away the laundry can be turned into a game and makes good use of some of kids’ energy. Whoops, is that a dishcloth that just went sailing by? Can you catch the learning?

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Camping Takes a Hike

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None of us will dispute that kids need physical activity for healthy development. Physical activity is also important for brains, as kids learn to coordinate their actions, orient themselves in space and explore their own capabilities. All of these are part of readiness for kindergarten, too. Camping is a great time for lots of physical … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Camping Takes a Hike →

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Camping Learning Activities

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Camping might be a vacation activity but it takes lots of muscle power. Physical development and coordination are areas  assessed for kindergarten readiness. Generally, kids develop their muscle skills by being active. And camping is certainly that. Just think of all the packing, carrying and hauling, into and out of the car. Then, there’s all … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Camping Learning Activities →

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Save Your Socks

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Yesterday, some father’s got ties for Father’s Day and some received socks. But save the old socks for some fun and learning in a simple game called “Cleaning My Room”. It’s also great for exercise. Lots of old socks are needed for this game along with 2 or more kids, or 1 child and 1 … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Save Your Socks →

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Jump for June

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Jumping is not just for June, it’s for bones! Children’s skeletons are still growing and jumping strengthens bones. While the heart has a pump to circulate the blood, the lymph system doesn’t have one. Exercise and moving is what keeps the lymphatic fluid flowing and this plays a critical role in our immune system. So, for … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Jump for June →

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Sandbox Activities #4

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In this series of blogposts on readiness for kindergarten that can be encouraged in the sandbox we have so far looked at some early science and math concepts. Fun in the sand box is also great for all kinds of healthy muscle growth and kindergarten readiness physical development. All that digging, filling, scooping, pouring, carrying, … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Sandbox Activities #4 →

Physical Development

Kindergarten Readiness – Jumping for Skeletons

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Move over, Jack. Hello, magic jumping beans. Did you know that activity is critically important for children’s skeletons? A professor of medicine, Dr. Heather McKay has been researching the role of exercise on skeletal development. “There is no time as important as childhood for the health …of a skeleton,” she advises. Early activity can actually … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Jumping for Skeletons →

Physical Development

Kindergarten Readiness – Spring into Action

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Speaking of spring….Kids always seem to have extra energy. Here’s a way to put it to good use and promote physical development and kindergarten readiness. 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, twirling, twisting, etc. Big muscles … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Spring into Action →