Hi Maggie,
I do a monthly Preschool Aerobics class geared toward ages 3-5, though I often have 2 year olds attend. I like the Georgiana Stewart CD's...they include warm ups, cool downs and exercises. I usually mix some Georgiana with some Hap Palmer and some Steve & Greg songs to create a 20 minute program. I haven't thought about designing it to include participation by parents, though many of the parents participate to encourage their kids to do so. I'd love to hear what other suggestions you get.
Maggie,
We've had a couple here.
The things that work the best are the music CDs (such as Greg & Steve - the freeze song is good). We often go around in a circle - parents and children. I once used a book about yoga for children, and we tried some of the poses. I didn't ever do anything specifically for parents and children - everyone just did the same thing.
Hi Maggie,
I've got a movement class that I do at the library. Mine is geared to children ages 3-5, but given the makeup of our community, I often get younger children joining us for the half-hour program.
Here's my warm up and the basic format that I started with (I never vary the rules and starting song, but I switch up the order of the rest of the program on a regular basis.)
First explain that each person needs to have their own space. Have each child reach out to either side. Then when each child determines that they have enough space to not hit another, have them swing their arms from side to side so they do a kind of pinwheel like motion. This will help them see that they have to be aware of people around them not only on the sides but in front and behind them as well. Remind them that they have to be careful of other people while moving around. This is movement class, not hurt yourself class. Rule number two is to make sure we all have fun. I also let parents know that sometimes the kids get a little overwhelmed and might need a break and that they are welcome to take a moment outside the story room and come back in whenever they are ready.
Intro: Clap Your Hands
Clap your hands, touch your toes, turn around and touch your
nose.
Flap your arms, jump up high, wiggle your fingers, and reach to
the sky!
(repeat. Each time, get faster. The last time you do this, go
super slow to calm the kids back down)
You're So Great
You're so great, now please stand, and give yourself a great big
hand!
Clap the floor, clap your hair, clap your cheeks and clap the
air.
Clap your elbow, clap your feet, clap your pinkies and clap your
seat.
You're so great, so take a bow, then bend your knees and sit
down now.
(or so take a bow, let's get ready to move around!)
Story at the beginning
Songs/Movement
Story at the end
1 yoga pose, stretches at the end
Closing Song
These are the first three classes I did in this format. I've since added a closing song, and only do the yoga occasionally. You have to be flexible to what kids you have on any given day and what their mood is as well.
Class #1
Intro: the rules
Warm up poems Clap Your Hands 3 times
You're so Great
Read: Wiggle Cronin
Talk to them about how a Bird flies, how a butterfly flies, how a bee flies but how would you fly if you were a hungry bee? Or an angry bee? Or a happy bee?--- leads into Flight of the Bumblebee (1:45) I tell the kids that we are going to pretend to be Bees. Then throughout the song, I ask them to fly as a bee would if he were happy, angry, sad, etc. You're flying through the air. You are a hungry bee. How would you fly? How would you buzz? You find a flower to get nectar from. Now you are happy. You fly towards the flower, but someone cuts it before you get there. Now how do you feel? Are you sad? Now that human is swatting at you! Now you are an angry bee! How would you fly then?
Go and Stop Fred Koch
Cool down stretch up, flop down, shake shake shake
Class #2
Intro: remind them of the rules
Warm up poems
Read: Vroomaloom Zoom Coy
Drivin' In My Car Ralph Covert
Clap Your Hands (song)
Read: Dancing in My Bones
Rum Sum Sum
Car race Children's Book of Yoga
Cool Down roll your shoulders, shrug your shoulders, shake yourself out, stretch up, flop down (3x)
Class #3
Intro: the rules
Warm up poems
Read: Let's Dance
Song: Che Che Koolay
How tall can you be?
How small can you be?
How wide can you be?
How thin can you be?
Helicopter Ride (The Complete Book of Activities, Games, Stories, Props, Recipes, and Dances Pam Schiller, J P&T 372.21)
Tip-toe up, tip-toe down (raise up on toes and then lower heels down)
Start the motor and turn around (pretend to turn a key and then turn around)
Spread your arms to the side (spread arms)
And twist and twist for a helicopter ride (twist side to side)
(encourage the children to fly around the room) find a short song to do this to.
(Happy Farmer - Schumann 0:52 from CD Classics for Kids)
Can you fly like a bird? What sound does a bird make?
Can you jump like a frog? What sound does a frog make?
Now lets be cats there's a bird in the tree. Let's look up at the bird. What sound does a cat make? Now stretch your leg out behind you. Bring that leg back and stretch the other leg out. You are all such long and lovely cats. Bring your leg back and bring your back up and tuck your tummy under. Str-r-e-t-ch your back out. That bird is back again. Stick your tummy out, look up and meow at the bird. Now bring your back up and tuck your tummy under. Sit back on your heels and bend over (child's pose) and lets count to ten.
Read: Someone Says Carole Lexa Schaefer
Class #4
Intro: the rules
Warm up poems
Song: Juanito Jose Luis Orozco Lirica Infantil, vol. 4
First, tell the kids that little Johnny loves to dance and he dances with all the parts of his body. Then have the kids tell you what parts you hold up finger, foot, knee, etc. and tell them the word in Spanish. Then start the song!
Juanito cuando baila,
baila, baila, baila
Juanito cuando baila,
Baila con el dedito
Con el dedito, ito, ito
Asi baila Juanito
Juanito cuando baila
baila, baila, baila
Juanito cuando baila,
Baila con el pie (pyeh)
Con el pie, pie, pie
Con el dedito, ito, ito
Asi baila Juanito
Con la rodilla, con la cadera, la mano, el codo, el hombro, la cabeza
Fall of the Last Leaf (The Complete Book of Activities, Games, Stories, Props, Recipes and Dances) adapted by me
Sam was helping his father rake the leaves when he noticed there was one leaf left on the tree. He wondered when that leaf would fall off. Just then a wind came along and blew the leaf from side to side.
The leaf rocked
It twisted
It turned
It danced on the wind
The wind slowed down
And the leaf floated on the air
Then a bigger wind came down and swooped the leaf up, swoop,
swoop, swoop, swoop
It rocked faster
It twisted faster
And it danced on the wind very fast
The wind slowed down
And the leaf twisted
And turned
And glided
And slowly drifted down to be with all the other leaves on the
ground.
Song: The Ants Go Marching only sing up to 5 (the little one stopped to say goodbye)
Story: The Aunts Go Marching - Maurie Manning
Dance Your Fingers Up
Dance your fingers up, dance your fingers down.
Dance your fingers from side to side, and dance them all around.
Dance them on your shoulders, dance them on your head.
Dance them on your tummy, and put them all to bed.
Class #5
Intro: the rules
Warm up poems
Read: If You're Happy and You Know It Jan Ormerod
I'm a Little Teapot
Chocolate
Song: Popcorn Calling Me (on my Songs to Move To from Laurie Berkner's Buzz Buzz CD)
Have the kids crumple up popcorn for the next activity.
Parachute Activity:
Introduce them to the parachute have them do little waves, and big waves, and a mushroom. (get rid of this if time is short)
Talk about popcorn, how the kernels start out and then explode into popcorn. Have the kids be the popcorn popper. We will bounce the popcorn on top and try to "pop" the popcorn out of the popper.
Read: Bouncing Time Patricia Hubbell
Stretches stand and side stretch. Forward and back stretch. Stretch head. Shake whole body. Stretch from wall to wall, turn your arms in small circles, turn your arms in large circles. Shake out your arms and drop, shake out your arms and drop, shake out your arms and drop.
Some of my favorite movement stories for this class are:
Wiggle - Doreen Cronin
Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball - Vicki Churchill
Move - Steve Jenkins
>From Head to Toe - Eric Carle
This Jazz Man - Karen Ehrhardt
Boing - Nick Bruel
Up! - Kristine O'Connell George
A Tree Is Nice - Janice May Urdy (good for when you are doing tree pose!)
Red Light, Green Light - Anastacia Suen
I also like doing traditional songs and changing them up a bit.
Skip to My Lou - add other movements - clap to my lou, stretch to my lou, jump to my lou...
Ring Around the Rosie - but change up the movements so it's not always all fall down - try something like "ashes, ashes, we all (pause) wiggle around! Stuff like that.
Also, try props - a parachute, scarves, visits from stuffed animals, instruments (shakers and bells are the ones I like the best.)
There are a host of wonderful websites. Try www.nancymusic.com for some great songs and movement ideas. I think there was just a music compilation on PUBYAC that you can also get ideas from.
here's a song that I just used when i did the story This Jazz Man - the kids loved it.
Activity: This old man new version
This old man, he can run. Run, run, run, run just for fun
With a nick-nack, paddy wack, give a dog a bone
Running, running all the way home
This old man, he can slide. Slide, slide, slide from side to side
With a nick-nack, paddy wack, give a dog a bone
Sliding, sliding all the way home
This old man, he can jump.
Jump, jump, jump, jump over a bump
With a nick-nack, paddy wack, give a dog a bone
Jumping, jumping all the way home
This old man, he can stop. He can run and slide and hop.
With a nick-nack, paddy wack, give a dog a bone.
Sitting, sitting, finally at home.
I hope this is enough to get you started. Have fun, and feel free to email me with any questions - I may not be able to answer them, but I'll try.
I do a lot of movement activities in my regular storytimes, and Greg and
Steve have some great songs (conga line, Can't Sit Still, Bop 'til You
Drop) that would work well up into elementary school.
Maggie -
I've not done this but I've heard wonderful things about Angel Bear Yoga
- angelbearyoga.com. The leader led some classes at the local
Children's Museum, which is a hands-on, literature based museum, and
called her classes Storybook Yoga and incorporated Yoga poses into
stories.
I'm not a yoga person so I don't know if I'm using the right
terminology. Check out Christie's website.
Maggie, we were fortunatel to have won a Best Practices award in
Pennsylvania this year for our Fitness Explorers program, ages 2 to 4 - but
you can certainly stretch these activities to the older ages. It was a big
hit with our families. I'll attatch a file so you can ee my outline. I am
very proud of this program, as I was the one who designed it :D Steal what
you like, add to it and have fun. I've also attatched a bibliography for
you.
Denise M. Pulgino Stout
Head of Youth Services
Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library - A Family Place Library!
610-278-5100, 144
- FITNESS EXPLORERS*
Fitness Explorers is a workshop style program series that encourages movement & developmental skill development in children ages 2 to 4. Literacy will be part of the program as well. Parents & children will learn about fun ways to incorporate fitness & movement into their daily lives. They will receive information on nutrition and appropriate physical development for their child. We will include group activities, individual & partner activities, and intergenerational activities to include the parents & older siblings as well. Program is 30-45 minutes long, with play time after.
FITNESS EXPLORERS 2008
WEDNESDAYS, APRIL 30, MAY 7, 14, & 21
10:30 AM
Registration is required and for the safety of participants, children must be between ages 2 to 4 yrs and accompanied by an adult caregiver. This is a fitness program. Appropriate clothing should be worn and please feel free to bring bottled water. We will be in our bare feet for the activities.
FITNESS EXPLORERS 2008
CHILD'S NAME: _____________________AGE: ______
PARENT'S NAME: ______________________________
PHONE NUMBER: _____________________________
Set up the room!
- Place the mats across the floor - Put up any tables that are in the way - Get out any props and set up music that are need for planned activities - Get out the movement props to use at the end of programs - Put up any posters or visual aids to be used during the program - Display books on this week's subject
- WEEK 1: MY BODY*
- Give out left over *water bottles* from last year for use at the
programs
- Warm up: *Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes*. Slowly, faster, very
fast, slower very slow
- *Dem Bones*: Talk to the kids about *parts of the body* and what
each can do.
- *If you're happy and you know it*!
- Nod your head
- shimmy your shoulders
- Flap your arms
- Wiggle your fingers
- wag your tail
- march upstairs
- stomp your feet
-
- My Body Can Talk Game*
- *My hands can say*
- Hello
- Come here
- Go away
- Naughty, Naughty
- I'm hot
- I'm scared
- Stop!
- I'm mad
- I'm cold
- Good bye
- Hooray!
- *My face can say*
- I'm tired
- I'm mad
- I'm scared
- I'm sad
- I'm sorry
- That tastes yummy
- That tastes yucky
- That smells good
- That smells bad
- What a surprise!
- I'm so happy
- *Hello toes! Hello Feet!*
- *Dancing Feet*
- End every week with *ME, a Body Poem*
- End every week with ring toss, bean bag toss, balance beams, and
other movement props
- WEEK 2: *
Under the Big Top Parachute/Tent!
- Big Book: *Clap Your Hands*
- *Toddlerobics: Animal Fun*
- Tightrope activity: Balance the Beanbag on your head
- Slowly
- Quickly
- Forward
- Backward
- Straight line forward
- Zig zag
- Try to balance on other parts
- Back of hand
- Shoulder
- Elbow
- *From Head to Toe, Eric Carle*
- *Can You Move Like an Elephant*?
- Parachute activities
- Merry-Go-Round
- Ripples and Waves
- Umbrella
- Mountain
- Inside the Mountain
- Mushroom
- Floating Cloud
- Catchin Bugs!
- Conclude with ME, the body poem
- End every week with ring toss, bean bag toss, balance beams, and
other movement props
WEEK 3: YOGAKIDS
- Warm up Wake up (p. 52-53 Yoga Girls)
- Mountain pose
- Arms straight in front and stretch breath in
- Arms out to sides and stretch breath out
- Arms overhead and stretch breath in
- Touch your toes breath out
- Inhale as you come back to mountain pose
- Repeat a few times
- Over & Under:
- Adults lie on the floor, Kids walk or crawl over them
- Adults stand up with feet apart and kids walk or crawl under
legs
- Kids make a bridge with arms
- *My Daddy is a Pretzel*: this should take most of the session
- Cool Down: *Little Yoga*
- Share a pretzel snack; share a yogurt snack!
- The Body Poem
- End every week with ring toss, bean bag toss, balance beams, and
other movement props
WEEK 4: MOVEMENT & NUTRITION
- Warm up: *Little Yo*ga
- Play and freeze Ice Cream Balls: Make home made ice cream with good
ingredients. Kids roll the ball for 20 minutes then eat the rewards!!!!
- Talk about the different food groups and ask kids what kinds of
foods fit in each group
- Flannel Board with the food pyramid & pictures
- My Body Can Act Like Food game:
- Melt like Ice Cream
- Pop like popcorn
- Lay in a bun like a hot dog
- Fry like bacon
- Curl up like a roll
- Roll like an Orange
- Wiggle like a noodle
- Be a nut!
- *How Can You Dance*
- *Wiggle*
- End every week with The Body Poem, p 19 Wiggle, Giggle & Shake (see
Print out for poster!)
- End every week with ring toss, bean bag toss, balance beams, and
other movement props
- Orange Cooler*
This sparkling orange juice is sweet, bubbly, refreshing, and full of vitamin C. Serves 2
- INGREDIENTS:*
2 cups 100% orange juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice, bottled or fresh 1 cup seltzer water
- DIRECTIONS:*
1. Pour all of the ingredients into a pitcher and stir well with a wooden spoon.
2. Serve immediately in tall glasses.
Per serving: Calories: 112; Total Fat: 0 grams; Saturated Fat: 0 grams; Sodium: 7 milligrams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams.
- Ice Cream recipe: *
Sugarfree strawberry mix - 1 Tablespoon
OR
Sugarfree chocolate mix mix - 1 Tablespoon
OR
Vanilla extract mix - 1 Tablespoon & Sugar 1 to 2 Tablespoons
Half & Half 1 cup
ICE
Rock Salt
- FITNESS EXPLORERS - EVALUATION*
Fitness Explorers is a workshop style program that encourages movement & developmental skill development in children ages 2 to 4. Literacy will be part of the program as well. Parents & children will learn about fun ways to incorporate fitness & movement into their daily lives. They will receive information on nutrition and appropriate physical development for their child. We will include group activities, individual & partner activities, and intergenerational activities to include the parents & older siblings as well. Program is 30-45 minutes long, with play time after.
Based on this statement, we would like your comments on how you felt about this new program.
Please be free to let us know what you think so we may improve on our services and programs!
Do you feel that the activities were appropriate to the age range?
Do you feel that literacy was an important part of the programs?
Did you learn about the importance of including physical activity into your child's daily routine?
Was the length of each session appropriate for your child?
Was the length of the series appropriate for your schedule?
Was the information you received throughout the series beneficial to you and your child?
What was the favorite part of the series for you and your child?
What was the least favorable part of the series for you and your child?
If we were to offer the program again, would you attend? Why or why not?
What day of the week or time of day would be best suited for your family to attend this program?
Thank you so much for your input and attendance.
- BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR FITNESS EXPLORERS AND YOGAKIDS*
Agell, Charlotte. *Dancing Feet*. Gulliver Books, 1994. ISBN: 0152004440
Baptiste, Baron. *My Daddy is a Pretzel: Yoga for Parents and Kids*. Barefoot Books, 2004. ISBN: 1841481513
Bassette, Carol. *Walk Like a Bear, Stand Like a Tree, Run Like the Wind: Cool Yoga, Stretching and Aerobic Activities for Cool Kids Ages 6-12*. Nubod Concepts, 2003. ISBN: 097404850X
Beery, Barbara. *Batter Up Kids: Sensational Snacks*. Gibbs Smith, 2005. ISBN: 156857983
Boston, Lisa. *Sing! Play! Create! Hands-On Learning for 3 to 7 year Olds*. Williamson Books, 2006. ISBN: 0824967801
Brunhoff, Laurent de. *Babar's Yoga for Elephants*. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2002. ISBN: 0810910217
Caldwell, Michaela. *The Girls' Yoga Book: Stretch Your Body, Open Your Mind & Have Fun*! Maple Tree Press, 2005. ISBN: 1897066252
Carr, Rachel. *Be a Frog, a Bird, or a Tree: Rachel Carr's Creative Yoga Exercises for Children*. Doubleday & Co., 1973. ISBN: 0385003390
Carr, Rachel. *Wheel, Camel, Fish, and Plow: Yoga for You*. Prentice-Hall, 1981. ISBN: 0139560459
Chryssicas, Mary Kay. *I Love Yoga*. DK Publishing, 2005. ISBN: 0756614007
Conners, Abigail Flesch. *101 Rhythm Instrument Activities for Young Children*. Gryphon House, 2004. ISBN: 9780876592908
Cronin, Doreen. *Wiggle*. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2005. ISBN: 0689863756
Diskin, Eve. *Yoga for Children: An Illustrated Guide to Teaching Yoga to Boys and Girls 5 to 12 Years Old With Exercises They Can Follow Themselves*. Arco Publishing, 1977. ISBN: 0668040750
Finestone, Jeanne. *A Girl's Guide o Yoga: Over 30 Poses to Practice Anywhere*. Orange Avenue Publishing, 2004. ISBN: 0764128396.
Gibbs, Bel. *Yoga for Kids: Fun and Easy Exercises for Children Aged Three to Eleven Years*. Southwater, 2005. ISBN: 9781844761876.
Kasser, Susan L. *Inclusive Games: Movement Fun for Everyone*! Human Kinetics, 1995. ISBN: 0873226399
Krishnaswami, Uma. *The Happiest Tree: A Yoga Story*. Lee & Low Books, Inc., 2005. ISBN: 9781584302377
Marzollo, Jean. *Pretend You're a Cat*. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1990. ISBN: 0803707738
Miller, Edward. *The Monster Health Book: A Guide to Eating Healthy, Being Active & Feeling Great for Monsters and Kids*! Holiday House, 2006. ISBN: 0823419568
Pica, Rae. *Moving and Learning Series: Toddlers, Ages 18 to 36 Months*. Delmar Thomson Learning, 2000. ISBN: 0766816028. Binder, CD and Cassette.
Pica, Rae. *Wiggle, Giggle & Shake: 200 Ways to Move and Learn*. Gryphon House, 2001. ISBN: 0876592442
Richards, Ruth and Joy Abrams. *Let's Do Yoga*. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1975. ISBN: 0030140064
Rockwell, Lizzy. *The Busy Body Book: A Kid's Guide to Fitness*. Crown Publishers, 2004. ISBN: 0375822038
Stetson, Emily & Vicky Congdon. *Little Hands Fingerplays & Action Songs: Seasonal Activities & Creative Play for 2 to 6 Year Olds*. Williamson Publishing, 2001. ISBN: 1885593538
Stewart, Mary and Kathy Phillips. *Yoga for Children: Simple Movements and Games You and Your Kids Can Do Together to Help Them Grow Strong and Flexible. *Simon & Schuster, 1992. ISBN: 0671787128
Terkel, Susan Neiburg. *Yoga is for Me*. Lerner, 1982. ISBN: 0822510987
Walton, Rick. *How Can You Dance*? G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2001. ISBN: 039923229X.
Whitford, Rebecca and Martina Selway. *Little Yoga: A Toddler's First Book of Yoga*. Henry Holt and Co., 2005. ISBN: 9780805078794
DISCOGRAPHY
- Bust A Nursery Rhyme: A Hip-Hop Collection of Your Favorite Nursery Rhymes*.
Madacy Entertainment Group, Inc., 2002
- Jazz for Kids*. The Verve Music Group, 2004.
Martin, Mary H. *Yoga for kids*. Kimbo Educational, p2004, c1978. ISBN : 1563461285
- Mary had a Little Amp: Music's Biggest Stars; Childhood's Greatest Songs; A
Preschool Education Benefit CD*. Sony BMG Music, 2004.
Seker, Joann and George Jones. *Parachute Activities: With Folk Dance Music
- . Booklet & CD. Kimbo Educational, 2003. ISBN 0937124591
Snee, Richard. *Mother Goose Rocks, Vol. 3*. Boffomedia, Inc., 2000. 1568965362
Ibid., *Mother Goose Rocks, Vol. 5*. Boffomedia, Inc., 2005
- Smart Moves 1: Tots thru Pre-K*. Russ Invision, 2004. ISBN: 097470640X
- Smart Moves 2: Preschool thru 1st*. Russ Invision, 2004. ISBN: 0974706418
BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR OTHER EXCELLENT FITNESS & MOVEMENT PROGRAMS
Traugh, Steven. *Music & Movement in the Classroom: PreK-K*. Book & CD. Creative Teaching Press, 2000. ISBN: 9781574717457.
Traugh, Steven. *Music & Movement in the Classroom: Grades 1-2*. Book & CD. Creative Teaching Press, 2000. ISBN: 9781574717464.
Weikart, Phyllis S. and Elizabeth B. Carlton. *85 Engaging Movement Activities; Learning on the Move K-6*. High/Scope Press, 2002. ISBN: 1573791253. www.highscope.org