Fun obstacle course to challenge ballance

A fun way to transition between activities is by doing an obstacle course.  When going from table top work to circle time, or vice versa, have the kids go via obstacle course.  It not only entertains them, it can build their gross motor skills while allowing them the movement time they need during their school day to be able to learn most effectively.  Studies show that children need time between sedentary learning times for gross motor to allow them to concentrate and to learn better.  Try these ideas, or make your own obstacle courses.  Ideas can be: crawling through a tunnel, hopping over an object, stepping up and down a stool, scooter boards and catching and throwing balls. 

Have the kids jump on the bubble wrap to make cool popping noises.

Calming Activities for Preschool

Calming Activities for Preschool

Prior to or upon arrival to school

• Walk to school if that is an option, carry a heavy backpack or pull a wagon, push a stroller with heavy objects or another person in it.  
• Use a scooter, scooter board, roller skates or a bike to get to school
• Open (heavy) doors independently 
• Various animal walks incorporating crawling, jumping, arm movements, etc.

Circle Time or seated tasks

• Hold squeeze toys, silky fabrics, vibrating toy, small amount of playdough
• Sit on a ball, rocking chair, bean bag, or almost fully deflated beach ball on a chair
• Do chair push ups while sitting (place palms on seat of chair and push body upward) 
• Hold objects with weight (books, cans) in lap
• Tape a circle on the floor or use a carpet square where child is to sit
• Allow child to lie on stomach on floor 
• Have child slide or carry chair to circle area
• Incorporate animal walks (frog, bear, crab, snake etc.) to provide movement to seated tasks
• Incorporate reward system (small piece of gummy or crunchy candy, stickers, stamp to hand, high five, verbal praise) intermittently for appropriate behavior.  Be sure to simply explain appropriate/inappropriate behavior

Heavy work throughout the day (center time/guided free play)

• Playdough, dough, putty (rolling pin, flatten, pull apart, knead, push together, push pegs/coins into it, hammer)
• Dry noodles, rice, beans, birdseed, sand, water (pour, touch, mix)
• Mop, sweep, vacuum
• Use hole punch 
• Finger-paint, shaving creme
• Tweezers
• Blow toys (straws, instruments, cotton balls)
• Vibrating pens, drawing on textured surface (sandpaper, bubble wrap, Lego table)
• Standing at an easel for painting, drawing, cutting
• Resistive manipulatives (pop beads, Legos, foam puzzles)
• Wear heavy backpack during this time (be sure to remove prior to gross motor play)
• Laundry play (fold, iron, carry laundry basket, slide another child sitting in the basket)
  instruments (marching, banging, blowing)
• Obstacle course
• Make a quiet area with pillows, beanbag, tent or small child pool with balls in it (ball pit), low light, calming music, books, squeeze toys or vibration, silky fabrics for self calming
• Row your boat (stand or sit holding another’s hands, rock back and forth)

Heavy work for outside/gym

• Bikes, scooters, scooter board (pull another child as they are on their stomach or have child hold rope as they are pulled on their stomach on scooter board), roller-skates
• Swinging, monkey bars, playground equipment, tug of war
• Shovel snow, rake leaves
• Spray bottles, chalk, blow bubbles, paint walls/ground with paintbrush and water
• Obstacle course (jump, roll, run, crawl, etc.)
• Wagon pull and wagon rides
• Catch, kick, throw, t-ball
• Fly a kite
• Sand and water play

Snack/Meal Time

• Have the child be a snack helper to pass out cups, plates, etc.
• Wipe off the tables using large motions
• Carry heavy cans of juice, pitchers
• Chair push-ups
• Crunchy or gummy candy, Twizzlers, milkshakes through a straw
• Stack chairs at the end of meal times

Nap/Bedtime

• Quiet music, white noise, low lights
• Rocking, vibration, deep massage
• Heavy blanket on legs, wrap in blanket or youth sleeping bag
• Lie in hammock or beanbag
• Hold silky fabric, Taggie blanket, etc.
• Token rewards (stickers, verbal praise) for staying in bed, on mat
• Page through books

Ways to transition

Watching some little friends line up today got me to thinking, "there's got to be an easier way!"  There are many things you can do to help kids transition to lining up or between one activity and another.  Using a sound (ringing bell, buzzer, that was easy button from Staples) will help kids recognize it's time to move.  Lots of times a set of commands like "2 minutes, 1 minute, let's go" works well.  When a child needs more help or cues than those try these:

• call kids by attribute (shirt, hair, eye color, etc.)
• have them crawl, hop, or spin to the target area
• sing a familiar song like The Ants Go Marching, or Clean Up, Clean Up
• use a long caterpillar or footsteps taped to the floor, or colorful cones for a visual cues
• use a picture schedule and have the child place the picture of the activity that's over into an envelope or pocket and do what the next picture on the schedule indicates

Remember when starting a new thing in the classroom, say taking your clothespin and pinning it to the center in which you're playing, lots of kids may get it right away.  Some are going to need direct teaching a few or many times before it makes sense.  Try a few ways of explaining, demonstrate with popsicle stick people or dolls, have the child draw himself doing it, we all learn differently!

What's your favorite way to transition?